When Love Comes Knockin' At Your Door
by Gie
Summary: No. 4 in my Songfic Universe. Mainly Goten & Bura, but the whole family gets dragged in. Lucky them, ne? Complete! Summary: Who has onion dip? You are hereby invited to the Celebation of the Birthing of The Saiyajiin no Oujo!
1. As We Go Along

**When Love Comes Knockin' at Your Door**   
**by Gie--phowah@cs.com**

_Disclaimer: Vejiita-chan and his familiars aren't mine. their_   
_attitudes within, and the plot line, are. Toriyama-san is credited for_   
_them. *sigh* Oh well. Ya win some, ya lose some._

_Timeline: After the end of DBZ. But before the events in 'The_   
_Dance,' so that means no DBGT. I don't care for those events, so I'm_   
_not going to use them. Writer's prerogative, ne? But I do like the 'Super 4'_   
_form, so I will use that--maybe. ...hehehe..._

_Well, minna-san, here's Story #4 in my Songfic universe--the precursor_   
_to 'The Dance.' You more than likely know what the main plot will be,_   
_but there will be a few twists and turns. Like normal. In this chapter,_   
_there isn't a song featured--but there will be in others. I still consider_   
_this a songfic, since I was going to post this as one big @$$ story, but I_   
_decided to do it in chapters. Something different...it'll only be like three_   
_or four chapter long, not like my other large epics. Anyway, enjoy the show!_   
_Remember to tip your waitresses._

_Gie-chan_

**When Love Comes Knockin' At Your Door**   
**Chapter One: As We Go Along**

The slamming door startled Bulma from her position at the   
table, where she sat, engrossed in a magazine article. "Who's there?" 

A feminine voice answered her, but not before letting out a   
loud giggle. "It's me and Goten, Mom." 

"Back already?" Bulma glanced at the clock. "Well, maybe not   
already." She stood and arched her back, working out the kinks. "Did   
you have fun, Bura?" 

Another giggle answered for her. "Umm..." 

"What's so funny?" 

"You might want to come and see for yourself, Mom." Another   
giggle, along with a male chuckle added to her statement. 

Bulma frowned. "What's going on?" She walked down the hall   
to the front foyer, where the voice of her daughter originated.   
"Why do I have to..." Bulma's jaw dropped as she took in the sight   
before her. "What in the world happened to you two?" 

"Umm..." Bura blinked at her mother. Or at least Bulma   
thought it was Bura...it was rather hard to tell who actually was   
standing in front of her. The two humanoid figures could have been   
mistaken for mud people--every single inch of their bodies was   
completely covered with the dark brown substance. Bura's normally   
well-kept lavender hair was a brown nest of glop. Her   
once-immaculate appearance was disguised under a thick layer of   
murky ooze. Which was dripping onto her pristine-clean floors. "We   
went fishing?" 

Bulma shook her head. "Looks like you went mudding." She   
glanced at Goten, who was in a similar state. "Did you bring home   
anything? Besides the entire bottom of the lake?" 

He shrugged, and Bulma winced when a few chunks of mud fell   
with a wet-sounding splat onto the floor. "B-chan did catch a few   
small panfish, but they weren't much to fry up, so we tossed them   
back in." 

"So where did all the mud come from?" 

"Well, Goten was showing me how to catch the big ones, and   
we started in shallower water." Bura frowned and wiped away a glob   
of mud from her lips. She absently used Goten as a towel. "But I   
didn't do as well. It sort of escalated into a mud war from there on." 

"Well, at least I wasn't the one that started it. Bura pushed   
me into a mudhole when I gave her pointers on catching the..." 

"Pointers? Ha!" Bura snorted and tossed her hair over her   
shoulder, which made a muted 'thwap' when it hit the door behind   
her. Bulma winced at the mess. "It was more like laughing   
uproariously when I lost my balance and fell! I just...retaliated." 

"Retaliated, my tail!" The said mud-covered object thrashed   
a few times, creating a lovely splatter pattern on the wall behind him.   
"Whatever! I was calmly telling you how to improve and you launched   
yourself at me." Goten huffed, crossing his arms and making even a   
bigger mess on the floor. 

"Well, whoever's fault it is, it's going to be both of your jobs   
to clean up this mess!" Bulma pointed to the floor, wall, and door.   
"Go back outside and hose yourselves down. I'll open B-chan's   
balcony door, and you can get changed through there." 

Bura smiled at her mother. "Thanks, Mama." She gave Goten   
a playful shove, and opened the door. "You can clean up in here,   
G-chan." 

"No way, B-chan!" Goten protested, following after her   
quickly, but not without slamming the door behind him. 

Bulma blinked, and surveyed the mess--it looked like a   
tornado of mud swept through the foyer. She sighed at the   
Goten-shaped silhouette on the wall, where he landed when Bura   
pushed him out of the way. "Kids these days!" She gingerly stepped   
away from the mud, and went to open Bura's balcony. 

She passed her mother in the hall. "Did you see the kids?" 

The blonde-haired woman shook her head. "No, what   
happened?" 

Bulma waved her hand to follow her. "Come and see. They're   
a big mess, that's what they are." She stopped in the hallway for a   
pile of towels and the two females entered Bura's room. Bulma   
opened the balcony doors and the two women started giggling like   
schoolgirls at the sight. A sopping-wet Bura was chasing a still   
mud-covered Goten around the yard, a garden hose in her hands,   
yelling at him. Goten evaded the spray deftly, and led her in a merry   
chase. 

"How did they get so covered in mud?" The elder Mrs. Briefs   
asked. 

"Well, supposedly Bura lost a bet to Goten, and to ante up,   
Bura had to go fishing with Goten. But I don't think they did much   
fishing." 

Mrs. Briefs giggled, the laugh lines around her eyes crinkling   
them up. "Well, it looks like they had fun, at least! Do you know what   
the bet was?" 

She shook her head. "Not really. I asked them before, but   
they were rather vague. Something about Goten doing something..."   
She shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows what goes through their   
minds. All I know is Bura lost. And her punishment was fishing. She   
did not want to go." 

"What was Goten's ante?" 

"I think something to do with clothes shopping." Bulma   
smirked. The two females turned back to the sight of the young ones   
play-fighting, only to discover that the water fight had ended, and   
the two had initiated a heavy lip-lock session. 

"They're so cute together!" Mrs. Briefs squealed happily, her   
hands clasped together over her heart. 

"Cute is not the word, Mom." Bulma rolled her eyes. "More   
like sappy." She elbowed her mother when she saw another set of   
figures approaching the unaware couple. They watched quietly as   
Trunks snuck up to the pair, holding the hose Bura chased Goten with   
earlier. He pointed it at the set of demi Saiya-jiin, and nodded to   
Pan, who was at the other end of the hose--the end hooked up to the   
faucet. She nodded back and turned the water on full blast. 

"AAHHHHHH!!!!" Goten and Bura burst apart, screaming as   
the cold water shocked them out of their own little world. "Who in   
the...TRUNKS!!!!!" Bura turned red in anger as she caught sight of   
her smirking brother, the hose still help limply in his hands. "How   
dare you!" 

Trunks just continued to smirk. "Well, it was getting hot and   
heavy in the yard, so I thought things needed to get cooled down.   
Good thing I saw this hose just lying on the ground, hmm?" Pan burst   
out in laughter, not bothering to hide her amusement. 

"Pan!" Goten whined, catching his niece at the faucet. "Et tu,   
Pan-chan?" 

"Hey, you guys deserved it." She smirked and walked up to   
the trio. "It's a good thing we caught you before Vejiita saw you   
two." 

"Vejiita? Where?" Goten's eyes widened and he shot a look   
around him, looking for the imposing Saiya-jiin. 

Bura rolled her eyes. "You big baby! Are you afraid of Papa?" 

Goten nodded his head vigorously. "Yes!" 

"And he has every right to be." 

Bulma started slightly at the deep baritone from next to her.   
She turned and gave her husband a whack on the arm. "Don't do   
that!" 

He ignored the fly-swat and frowned into the yard. "Why are   
you so filthy?" 

"Goten and I went fishing, Papa. We were just cleaning off."   
She stuck her tongue out at Trunks and Pan, and levitated up to her   
room, where the three adults stood. Bulma handed her a towel.   
"Thank you, Mama." She wiped her face off. "Better, Papa?" She   
wrapped an arm around his neck and pecked him on the cheek. 

Vejiita grunted at the affection but did not push his daughter   
away. "Clean up and meet me in the gravity chamber in ten minutes,   
Bura." 

She pulled away, and screwed her face into a pout. "Why,   
Papa? I don't want to train today." 

Vejiita frowned even deeper. "You gave your word that you   
would train today in place of Kakarotto's brat. I have been waiting   
for you for several hours." 

Bura swallowed and looked sheepish. "I did say that, ne?" 

"Yes, you did. Now change, or I'll drag you down there by   
your tail." 

"Yes, Papa." Bura said quietly, knowing when and when not to   
argue with her father. And by the look on his face, it was one of   
those 'not' times. She gave him a look out of the corner of her eye.   
"Can Pan join in?" 

He glanced down at the other female Saiya-jiin, who was   
talking with Trunks and Goten. "If she wants." 

"Good! Now I can get her back for interrupting me and Goten   
the other night...oops...!" She covered her mouth, her eyes wide at   
the thought of her father finding out about that. He knew about her   
dating Goten--in fact he approved of it, but the less he knew the   
details of their relationship, the better chance Goten will remain   
alive. Or so she hoped. 

"Other night?" Vejiita narrowed his eyes at his daughter.   
"Just what was Pan interrupting?" 

"Nothing, Papa! We were...uh...just watching a movie   
and...and...Pan made us miss the ending! That's all!" Bura was backing   
away slowly from the black haired male during her fastly-contrived   
explanation. She grabbed her training clothes and darted into the   
bathroom, slamming the door closed behind her. 

"Che." Vejiita turned around and stared into the two sets of   
eyes staring back at him. "What, Onna?" 

Bulma shook her head and smiled. "Nothing, Vejiita." She   
sauntered past her husband and mate, giving him a loving kiss when   
she went by. "Just don't be too hard on Goten. He needs to survive   
to give me grand-babies." Mrs. Briefs giggled as she followed after   
her daughter. 

He blinked a few times before finally exploding.   
"Grand-babies, my tail! There will be no such thing!" He yelled after   
her. He turned back to the yard and saw the three young ones   
staring up at him. "Spawn of Kakarotto! You will do no such thing   
with my daughter!" 

Goten gulped and gave Trunks and Pan a helpless look. "What   
did I do now?" 

"The question is, Goten, what haven't you done?" Trunks   
smirked at his hapless friend and went inside, Pan following him with   
a snicker of her own. 

Goten sighed and with a burst of ki, dried himself off. He set   
his shoulders and went inside to face his fate head on. "Cruel fate   
that it is. Sometimes I wonder if Bura is worth Vejiita's wrath." He   
paused in the doorway, and watched Bura jump onto her father's   
back, wrapping her long legs around Vejiita's waist and her arms   
around his neck. She giggled as Vejiita growled under his breath, but   
did nothing to discourage his daughter's affections. He sighed as   
the pair left for the gravity room, tails entwined with the other..   
"It's going to be hard as hell to get in-between those two...but I have   
to. It's not like I can turn off my affection for her..." 

"Talking to yourself again, Goten?" Bulma smirked next to the   
young Saiya-jiin, who noticeably jumped when she spoke. "Or are you   
lusting after my daughter again? You might want to watch your step   
around Vejiita, Goten. Bura let slip something about a 'movie being   
interrupted' by Pan the other night." 

"What movie?" He frowned confusedly, glancing in Pan's   
direction. 

"Exactly." Trunks laughed. 

Bulma rolled her eyes and just pat Goten on the shoulder.   
"Just making sure you have honourable intentions toward B-chan,   
G-chan." She winked at the nickname Bura had bestowed on him.   
Goten just blushed and hid his face. 

She walked by him and looked out a window, where you could   
see the gravity chamber. She nodded and turned back around, sitting   
in a comfy chair. "Now that Bura is busy, I wanted to talk to you   
three alone." 

Trunks plopped down next to her. "What for, Mom?" 

"Well, as you all know," she glanced at Goten, "or should be   
slightly aware of, next week is Bura's birthday." 

Goten smirked, crossing his arms. "I knew that. It's next   
Sunday." 

"Actually, Goten, it's on Saturday." Trunks shook his head.   
"Do you have something in mind for her? Because I don't." 

"Sort of," Bulma admitted. "but I wanted to run it by you all.   
I was thinking of having a party for her down at Jellies'. Nothing too   
big--just family and some of her friends. what do you think?" 

Trunks shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. As long as they're   
plenty of food." 

Pan rolled her eyes fro the couch where she and Goten sat.   
"Hmm...Saturday is usually a pretty busy night there. Are you renting   
out the entire place?" 

She shook her head. "No, I can't. I checked into it. But I   
think you kids would have more fun with the normal activities and   
crowd, ne?" 

"That's true." Pan nodded her head in agreement. "There's   
usually a pretty good band there, too. Sounds like a blast, Bulma!" 

Goten fidgeted a little. "Well, I guess it's okay." 

"Did you have something else in mind, Goten?" Bulma turned   
to him, an expectant look on her face. 

"Uh...no...not really..." Goten rubbed the back of his neck,   
embarrassed by the attention. 

"Did you have something special planned, Goten?" Trunks   
teased, knowing that Goten was starting to think very seriously with   
his sister. He didn't mind their relationship; in fact, he admitted   
that his friend was a perfect match for his sister--she needed   
someone to boss around, and Goten needed someone to boss him   
around. Perfect match. It also helped that Goten would be able to   
protect Bura from anything. He knew how strong his friend was.   
Plus, it helped that Vejiita was making him train once again. One of   
the little 'requests' his father made when they first began dating.   
Or rather forced the half Saiya-jiin to agree. Vejiita was not going   
to let a weakling court his 'precious Princess'. 

"No!" Goten shook his head back and forth violently. "Nothing   
planned, nuh uh!" 

The other three in the room gave each other a glance. They   
knew that something was up...but decided not to press the matter. He   
might bolt and run. Pan sighed and shook her head. "So, Bulma, do   
you have ideas what to get her for her birthday? For the child that   
has everything and anything under the sun?" 

"Yeah, right." Bulma scoffed. "As if I know what to get her.   
that's why I thought about the party." She shrugged her shoulders.   
"I asked her the other day, but she didn't give me a real answer." 

Trunks snorted through his nose. "I can give her a swift kick   
to the moon." 

"I don't think she'd appreciate that gift, Trunks, " Bulma   
smiled at her son, ruffling his hair playfully. "Your father then might   
give you an extra beating for your effort." She then looked over to   
Goten, who had his eyebrows furrowed in thought. "What are you   
getting her, Goten?" 

"Me? Umm..." Goten paused, and rubbed a finger over the tip   
of his tail, which flicked across his crossed legs. "Well, I was   
thinking of doing something, but I think I need to think about it a   
little more." 

"What?" Bulma had a slight idea of what it could be, but she   
didn't want to pressure the young Saiya-jiin. It _was_ a big step. 

"Well," he stood up and moved over to the window, checking   
to see if the gravity chamber was still in use. The lights were on, and   
a quiet hum could be heard, indicating that it was running. "Well," he   
reached into the pocket of his jeans on pulled out his fist. 

Pan sucked in a breath. "Uncle...are you going to...?" 

He turned to his niece and scowled, but the dark expression   
left his face quickly, turing into a slow smile. "I need to talk to   
Vejiita first, but...yes." He opened his hand and a small gold ring   
shone from his palm. 

Trunks groaned and sank low in his chair. "Oi, Goten! Are you   
ready to take on Papa already?" 

Goten sat back down next to Pan, who immediately snatched   
the ring out of his hand to look at it better. "I...think so. Since   
training with Vejiita, I have been increasing in strength. I gave him a   
good workout the other day." 

"But, Goten, you have to defeat him. In a full one-on-one   
battle." Trunks reminded him. "Even I can't do that. Remember,   
now that we all have our tails back, Papa can go Super 4." 

" I know, Trunks." He took back the ring from Pan, shoving it   
back deep into his pocket. "But I think I'm ready." 

Bulma stood and gave Goten a long hug. "Well, just don't kill   
yourself before you propose, okay? I want you in one piece for the   
wedding." She pecked him on the cheek. "Bura is going to be   
thrilled! When are you going to ask her?" 

Goten let out a sigh, and chuckled. "First I have to defeat Vejiita,   
Bulma. I have to prove myself worthy to him. That's why I've been   
training with him." 

"When are you going to have the fight?" Pan asked. "Can I   
watch?" 

He shook his head. "I don't know when. But you'll probably   
feel it when it happens." He stood up and stared out the window.   
"But I think it'll be soon. I have to go. Tell B-chan I'll call her   
later." He waved to the other three and left. 

They were quiet for a few minutes, soaking in the new   
information. "Well, it's about time," Bulma declared finally,   
breaking the silence. "That boy's been skirting around the   
issue for months. They're practically mated already." 

Pan nodded. "I know. You should have seen what they were   
doing the other night..." she trailed off at the incredulous looks   
given to her. "What? I knocked, and the door was unlocked, so   
I just went in. I didn't know they were doing _that_!" 

Trunks raked a hand over his face. "I really don't want to   
hear about my little sister's sex life, Pan! Gods! There are some   
things that brothers should be kept in the dark about." 

She narrowed her eyes, a smirk lifting her lips in an evil smile.   
"Oh, really? Like what, Trunks? Their own non-existent sex life? Or   
his friend, 'Handy?' But you already know about that, right?" Pan   
giggled as she watched Trunks face turn a blood red. 

The male Saiya-jiin gasped in shock. "Pan, please! My mother   
is in the room!" His face was almost as purple as his hair. 

"So what? It's not like she doesn't know about the 's' word,   
Trunks! How do you think you were born? The stork bring you out of   
the cabbage patch?" The quarter Saiya-jiin stuck out her tongue,   
jumped off the couch, and streaked out of the room, shrieking with   
laughter, while Trunks was hot on her tail in pursuit. 

Bulma chuckled to herself, shaking her head in amusement.   
"Kids these days." She heard a thundering noise as she watched a   
black blur followed by a purple blur shoot by her, causing her own   
lavender locks to fall over her face. "Stop running in the house, kids!   
You're going to break something!" A slam of the door told her that   
their merry chase ventured into more open areas. She glanced at the   
clock and noted that it was nearing the dinner hour. She stood and   
moved into the kitchen to prepare the evening meal for her family. 

******** 

The evening went by uneventfully, supper was devoured at its   
normal frenzied pace--with three Saiya-jiin in the house, sometimes   
four or five if Pan and Goten were over, food was a precious   
commodity that was a 'first come-first devour' basis. Bulma learned   
the hard way to set aside her own portion of food before calling the   
others down to eat. 

During dessert, Bulma brought up the earlier topic of Bura's   
birthday. "So, Bura, what did you want for your birthday?" 

She blinked a few times, and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't   
know, really. I haven't thought about it much." 

"Well, do you have any plans?" 

She shook her head. "Not yet. I was hoping Goten will   
remember it and take me out for dinner or something to that extent,   
but I thought I'd check with you first, Mom, in case you wanted to do   
some family thing." She smiled at her mother. "Did you want to do   
something?" 

"Well, since you wont give me any clue what you want, and your   
father is as helpful as a thermal blanket in the desert," Vejiita just   
snorted, ignoring the jibe. He was intently concentrating on the   
chocolate confection in front of him. "But I was thinking of throwing   
a party for you, down at Jellies." She smiled at her daughter, whose   
face lit up at the word 'party.' "What do you think?" 

"Sure!" Her eyes were bright at the thought of the gala   
event. "I wasn't planning on any thing big. And Jellies is a neat place.   
They have these funky lights in the walls, that change color with the   
music and such. It has a big dance floor, too." She stood up and gave   
her mother a big hug. "Thanks, Mom! You're the best." 

An equally large smile spread across Bulma's face at her   
daughter's happiness. She nodded and hugged Bura back. "You're   
welcome, B-chan. I was hoping you wouldn't mind an old lady's   
outdated idea." 

"It's a great idea, Mom. And you're not old. At least not yet."   
She winked at her mother and moved over to her father. "Thank you,   
Papa. It's a wonderful birthday present!" She wrapped her arms   
around his neck and planted a kiss on his temple. 

Vejiita just grunted and looked at Bura out of the corner of   
his eye. "It's your mother's idea, not mine." 

"So does that mean you have a different present for me,   
Papa?" Bura teased him, blinking her blue eyes innocently. 

Vejiita grunted again, and stood up from the table. "Come,   
brat. It's your turn." He pulled himself out of Bura's embrace and   
left the room. 

Trunks shoved the last of the chocolate dessert into his   
mouth and wiped it clean with a napkin. "Right, Dad." He took a big   
gulp of his drink. "Dinner was good, Mom. See ya later." He pecked   
her on the cheek and followed after his father to train for the rest   
of the evening. 

"Thank you, Trunks," Bulma murmured absently, standing up to   
activate some bots to clean up the table. 

"I'm going to get cleaned up, and call G-chan. I'll be in my   
room, Mom." She also pecked her mother on the cheek. "Dinner was   
good. And thank you again, for the party. Did you rent out the entire   
place?" 

Bulma shook her head. "No, they don't do that. But that's   
fine. I didn't think you wanted a big fuss, anyway." She raised an   
eyebrow in question. "Did you?" 

Bura shook her head in agreement. "Actually, I didn't." 

"I didn't think so. But I was going to invite the families, and   
you can invite whoever else you want. Just give me an estimate so I   
know how many people to tell the caterers." 

"Hmm...probably no more than twenty, twenty-five." Bura   
mused. "Maybe thirty." 

Bulma chuckled and stepped out of the way of the cleaning   
bots that just arrived. "Just let me know, okay? Now, shoo--Goten is   
probably worried about you, since you haven't talked to him in an hour   
or so." Bura gave her a silly grin and bounced out of the room. 

The purple haired genius smiled after her, and fell into a   
chair, letting out a long sigh. "Well, I suppose I can start inviting   
people. I think I'll call ChiChi first." She picked up the phone on the   
table next to her, and heard Bura already on the phone. She sighed   
and put the receiver down. "I swear that girl has a phone receiver   
attached permanently to her ear." She stood again and left for other   
parts of the house. 

**********   


_ Well, there's a start! How'd you like it? Bulma and Vejiita are my favorite couple, but my 2nd fave is G-chan and B-chan. *grin* Next time, well, something happens to change the tone. I won't say anything more. But a small hint: The song featured is _'Pie Jesu'. _Take care, minna-san. Ja matte ne! Gie-chan_


	2. Shades of Gray

**When Love Comes Knockin' At Your Door**   
**by Gie: phowah@cs.com**

_Disclaimer: Vejiita-chan and his familiars aren't mine. Their_   
_attitudes within, and the plot line, are. Toriyama-san is credited for_   
_them. *sigh* Oh well. Ya win some, ya lose some._

_Here's a LONG Chapter 2. The tone changes drastically from the last chapter, but_   
_I promise, minna, things will get better. The song, 'Pie Jesu' is very old, and I really_   
_don't know who wrote it. It's also in Latin. If you want to hear what it sounds_   
_like, and I reccomend it highly, here's a link to a version sung by Sarah Brightman_   
_(Mrs. Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, of 'Phantom' fame) and some boy soprano.___

_http://www.elycia-webdesign.com/music/requiem.ram___

_It's a beautiful song. I also sang it in a choir; that's the first time I heard it._   
_The song sends chills down my spine when I hear it. *shiver* Anyway, here's_   
_Chapter two. Let me know what you think of it--I'd like to hear from y'all!_

_Gie-chan_

**When Love Comes Knockin' At Your Door**   
**Chapter Two: Shades of Gray**

*********** 

The week passed by uneventfully; well, as much as normalcy   
dictated around Capsule Corporation. Saiya-jiin sparred, ate, and   
argued. And not necessarily in that order. But that comfortable   
routine was jarred and changed the morning of Bura's birthday. 

The breakfast table was full of food, like normal. The   
resident Saiya-jiin, Vejiita, Trunks and Bura were eating heartily,   
while the visitor of the morning, Goten, had not arrived downstairs   
yet. Bulma was in the kitchen finishing up the meal. 

Bura kept looking from the kitchen door to the entryway, as if   
she was expecting something. She looked up once more in   
expectation when Bulma came out of the kitchen with a plate. She   
watched as her mother sat in her normal spot across from her, but   
her mood dropped when she saw what was on the plate--her mother's   
breakfast. She sighed and glancing once more at the entryway, and   
continued to eat in silence. 

Bulma heard the sigh, and raised an eyebrow in question.   
"What's wrong, Bura? Did you not sleep well last night?" 

She shrugged her shoulders noncommittally. "I slept fine, I   
guess." She glanced down at her mother's plate again. "It's just   
that, well..." She went silent and continued eating. 

Bulma threw a glance at the two males at the table. Trunks   
was the only one to return it, and he just rolled his eyes. "What,   
Bura?" 

"Well, I was just wondering, umm," She looked up at her   
mother, her blue eyes wide with question. "Where's my birthday   
pancake?" 

A smile peeked at the corner of Bulma's lips. "Oh Bura, last   
year you said you were 'too old' for the pancake, remember? So I   
didn't make it this year." She watched Bura's face fall in   
disappointment. "I'm sorry, B-chan. I didn't know you wanted one." 

"That's fine, Mom. I guess I did say that last year." She   
sighed and looked back down at her food, but not without giving the   
entryway another glance. 

"Do you want me to go make you one, honey?" Bulma saw a   
movement out of the corner of her eye, and smiled wider. 

"No, you don't have to. I just thought..." She turned around   
when she heard the kitchen door open. Her eyes went wide as she   
saw Goten carrying a plateful of flames. "Goten?" 

He smiled at her, and started singing. "Happy birthday to   
you!" Bulma and Trunks joined in; Vejiita just glanced up and back   
down to his food. "Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear   
Bura! Happy birthday to you!" He set down the plate in front of her,   
and she saw what was on it: a thick, plate-sized pancake decorated   
with butter, multiple flavors of syrup, M&M candies, jimmies, and   
fruits. All around the rim were flaming candles, twenty-five in all. 

Bura squealed, clapping her hands in excitement. "My birthday   
pancake! Yay!" 

Goten nudged her. "Well, blow out the candles before you   
have to eat wax, too." 

She nodded and sucking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes   
and blew, extinguishing all the candles. They all clapped, except one,   
and Bura threw her arms around her boyfriend. "Thank you, Goten!" 

He returned the embrace willingly. "You're welcome, B-chan.   
Happy birthday." 

"And you thought you weren't getting your pancake today?   
How can I mess with tradition?" Bulma teased. "I said _I_ didn't make   
it. Never said anyone _else_ did." 

Bura paused in cutting a piece of the pancake. "You mean,   
G-chan made this?" Bulma nodded in agreement. She stared at the   
food on her fork, and looked back at her boyfriend, who sat in a seat   
next to her, spooning out his own portion of the food on the table.   
"Is it safe to eat?" 

Goten frowned. "Of course it is! I am a wonderful cook. My   
mom taught me herself." 

"Good. Then you'll be the one cooking, Goten." Trunks jibed   
him. "Bura can't boil water if her life depended on it." 

She sent an evil glare to her brother, but smirked. "You're   
not going to get my goat today, Trunks. It's too nice of a day!" 

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, little girl." He stood up from   
the table and as he was leaving, he blew a raspberry on her cheek.   
"Happy birthday, B-chan." 

He stopped in the entryway, though, as Dr. Briefs entered the   
room. "Good morning, Grampa." 

The elder Briefs glanced up at him, and Trunks saw that the   
older man looked twice his age; his face was pale, and his eyes   
seemed sunken in the back of his head. He still had his nightclothes   
on, as well. "Is something wrong, Grampa?" 

He shook his head, and turned to the table. "Vejiita, could you   
come with me for a minute, please?" 

The Saiya-jiin looked up at him, a scowl plastered on his face,   
and was about to say something, but he saw the expression on Dr. Briefs'   
face, and nodded. He stood from the table and followed the older   
man out of the room. 

Trunks blinked a few times. "What was that about?" He   
turned to his mother, who had a confused look of her own. "Do you   
know, Mom?" 

"No, I don't." She shook her head. Not much shook up her   
father; he usually was unfazed by the events going around him. But   
something had rattled him good. She stood up from the table. "But   
I'm going to find out." She walked out the door and disappeared. 

Trunks returned to the table, sitting down in his father's   
place. "I wonder what that's about. Grampa didn't look that good." 

Bura nodded somberly from her pancake. "Yeah, he seemed   
really depressed or something." 

"Well, he is getting old, B-chan," Goten reminded her. "Maybe   
his age is just catching up with him." 

Both Trunks and Bura frowned but said nothing in reply.   
Trunks sighed and played with a fork on the table. "So what are you   
two going to do today?" 

Bura shrugged and looked to Goten. "Well, there's the party   
tonight, and I have to pick out what Goten and I are wearing, so that   
might take awhile." 

"What? I can pick out my own clothes, thank you very much."   
Goten huffed into his food, throwing Bura a scowl. 

"G-chan, you can pick out clothes, but you tend not to pick out   
ones that match." Bura smirked at him. "This is my birthday party.   
You have to be the hottest one there, besides myself that is." 

A loud wail jerked them all to their feet. "Mom!" Trunks   
yelled, and bolted out the door, Goten and Bura on his heels. 

The three found them in Dr. Briefs' wing of Capsule Corp,   
Bulma in the arms of Vejiita, both were leaning against the wall next   
to the elder Briefs' bedroom, with her face buried in his chest. His   
arms were around her, and he was staring off into space. "Dad! What's   
wrong with Mom? We heard her all the way in the kitchen." Trunks stared   
at his father, waiting for an answer. 

"Papa? What happened?" Bura edged closer to Vejiita. She   
frowned when Bulma started another round of wailing. 

Vejiita glanced down at the woman crying in his arms, then up   
at his children. "Your grandmother is..." he hesitated, then set his   
face in a neutral scowl. "She is no longer with us." 

Bura took a step back, and encountered the heavy hands of   
Goten. "What? Gramma is...no..." A sob choked up her throat and   
she turned around, unknowingly mimicking her mother's position, only   
in Goten's embrace. 

Trunks stared at his father. "Gramma's dead?" Vejiita   
nodded slightly. "How?" 

"She never woke up this morning." Vejiita stared down at his   
mate. "Your grandfather found her that way. He wanted me to   
confirm it." He picked up his mate, brushing by the trio. "I am   
taking your mother to bed, Trunks." He glanced at Goten, who was   
comforting Bura. "I will not train today, Goten. And tell her that her   
party is postponed." Goten just nodded, not looking up from Bura's   
hair, where he was murmuring comforts. Vejiita grunted and walked   
away. 

Goten slid his arms under Bura, picking her up. He nodded to   
Trunks and the three left for Bura's room. 

Trunks opened the door, and Goten gently set Bura down on   
her bed. She opened her eyes, red from crying. She looked at   
Trunks. "Gramma..." 

He crawled onto the bed, wrapping his arms around his sister.   
"I know." She burst out again in tears, burying her face in his   
shoulder. Trunks closed his eyes and let his own tears escape into   
Bura's hair. "I know." 

Goten stared at the pair, and cleared his throat. Trunks   
looked up at him from his position on the bed. "I'm going to go..." 

Bura looked up from Trunks' shoulder. "Please stay, Goten." 

The purple-haired male nodded in agreement. "Please?" 

He hesitated, but then nodded. He sat on the other side of   
Bura, and pulled both Trunks and Bura into his arms. The trio looked   
rather awkward and ridiculous huddled on the bed that way, but it   
was comforting to all involved. 

********** 

Capsule Corp was almost tomb-like in its silence and inactivity.   
Normally, there was always something going on, or someone   
conducting an experiment that needed a million workers running   
around. It seemed that the building itself was mourning the loss of   
the bubbly female. Even in her advanced age, she was seen around   
the building, offering sweets and drinks to the visitors or puttering   
about in the flower gardens, usually among the roses. 

So that afternoon, when Pan stopped by to visit Bura on her   
birthday, she was greeted with the deafening quiet. She tiptoed   
down the hallways, somehow sensing the somber mood and reacted   
accordingly. She knocked on Bura's door, and when no one answered   
it, she opened it to see if anyone was within. "Bura? Are you here?   
B-chan?" 

The doorway opened to a main sitting room, which was littered   
with assorted articles of clothing strewn about in Bura's normally   
messy style. She picked her way across the floor and stood in the   
doorway of the bedroom, her eyes wide at the sight before her. 

Pan stared at the mass of entangled limbs on the large bed.   
Goten and Trunks seemed intertwined with Bura, becoming one   
jumbled creature with three sets of arms and legs and three heads.   
All three were sleeping soundly. "Bura? Goten? Trunks? What's   
going on?" She sighed when only soft snores answered her. She   
closed the door quietly behind her and decided to clean up after her   
best friend while she waited for an explanation. Or at least for   
someone to wake up. As she was picking up the sitting room, she   
smirked to herself. "I don't clean up my own room. Why am I   
cleaning hers?" 

After an hour or so, Pan's sensitive Saiya-jiin hearing picked   
up a stirring coming from the other room. She opened the door and   
saw Bura trying to untangle herself from the Trunks and Goten's   
arms. She saw Pan and gave her a helpless look. "I can't breathe!"   
she whispered. "Can you help me out?" 

Pan smirked and nodded, moving to help her. "I guess. What's   
going on? Why are you three sleeping in the afternoon? I thought   
you'd be getting ready for your party tonight." She unraveled a set   
of tails coiled around Bura's legs. 

Bura stared into space for a few seconds, and shook her head.   
"The party's not happening tonight." She stood up and went into the   
bathroom, closing the door behind her. 

Pan blinked. "Why not?" 

She turned back to the bed when Trunks spoke quietly.   
"Gramma died this morning, Pan. Or at least she didn't wake up this   
morning." He rubbed at his eyes and scowled at the arm wrapped   
around his chest. "Wake up, Goten. And get off of me. I love you   
like a brother, but not this much." He pushed at the sleeping   
Saiya-jiin, trying to untangle himself. 

The black-haired male grunted, shifted slightly, and moved over,   
letting Trunks sit up. "Where's Bura?" 

Pan sat on a chair, and stared at her unmoving relative. "She's   
in the bathroom, Uncle. So, what's with the orgy?" 

"Orgy?" Goten blinked open his black eyes. "What orgy?" 

"The three of you looked like a big mass of limbs and heads.   
Why were you all sleeping together?" 

Trunks ran a hand through his tangled hair. "I guess we all   
fell asleep. We were comforting B-chan, and well..." He shrugged his   
shoulders. 

Bura emerged from the bathroom, looking a little bit more   
awake. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying herself to sleep.   
"Hey, Pan-chan." 

Pan stood and wrapped her arms around Bura. "I'm sorry,   
B-chan. I loved your Gramma, too." 

"I know, Pan-chan." Bura smiled as a few more tears leaked   
out of her eyes. "Some birthday, ne?" She sat back down on the bed   
next to Trunks, pulling Goten's head onto her lap. 

Trunks patted the spot next to him, and Pan curled up to him,   
her head resting on his chest and her arms around his waist. Trunks   
wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. The four of them   
sat there for several minutes, quiet. 

A hard knock brought them out of their silence. Bura looked   
up from Trunks' shoulder, where her head was resting. "Come in,   
Papa." 

Vejiita entered, a scowl on his face. "Why are you all in   
here?" 

She shrugged her shoulders a little. "No reason." She smiled   
a little bit. "How's Mama?" 

"She's sleeping at the moment." He stared at Goten, who still   
had his head in Bura's lap. He let out a snort and shook his head.   
"You know your party is postponed." 

"I figured that." Bura stared down at the head of hair in her   
lap, and let her fingers trail through his black locks absently. "Do   
you know when..." she swallowed hard and continued. "When the   
funeral will be?" 

He nodded. "In two days there will be a remembrance   
ceremony. The burial will be the next day." He cocked his head to   
the side. "Your grandfather made a request of you, Bura." 

She looked up. "What is it, Papa?" 

"He wants you to sing a song at the remembrance ceremony." 

"Me? Sing a song?" She frowned at the request. "Why? Do   
you know what song?" She swallowed again and wiped a tear from the   
corner of her eye. "I don't know if I'll be able to sing." 

"He said something about a song that you sang once before.   
You will have to ask him about it." His features softened slightly.   
"He also sends his regrets about the events on your birthday, Bura." 

"I know." She nodded, her voice hoarse with emotion. "I'll   
talk to Grampa. Thank you, Papa." A long, staggering sigh escaped   
through her lips and her head fell to Trunks' shoulder once again. 

He stood up straighter and reached for the door. "When your   
mother wakes up, she will more than likely want to talk to you two. I   
will be out in the gravity chamber." 

Pan sat up from Trunks' embrace. "Can I join you, Vejiita?" 

He nodded at the youngest Saiya-jiin. "If you want, brat. But   
I am not in a playing mood tonight." 

She nodded and slipped by him to change into more comfortable   
workout clothing. Vejiita moved to follow her, but paused in the   
doorway. His features softened into a small smile and a spark of   
affection lit in his black gaze as it fixed upon Bura. "We will   
honor your birthing next weekend, Oujoko." 

Bura's face lit up and a slow smile spread across her features   
at the pet name. "You haven't called me that in a long time, Papa."   
Vejiita just smirked and walked out, closing the door behind him. 

"Dad was in an affectionate mood tonight, ne?" Trunks mused,   
shaking his head. He poked Goten in the ear. "I thought he'd rip   
Goten's tail off for lying in your lap." 

The said appendage waved under Bura' nose, tickling her. "So   
did I." 

She grabbed the offending tail and pulled slightly, earning a   
'yip' in response. She let it go and it immediately disappeared from   
sight. "You don't have to be afraid of Papa, G-chan. He actually likes   
you." Goten flipped over so she could see the incredulous look on his   
face. "Okay, maybe 'like' is a strong word. How about we say   
he...'tolerates' the Spawn of Kakarotto lusting after his precious   
Oujoko." Bura tweaked his nose in a teasing manner, a smile lighting   
her face. 

"Che. As if I get a chance to lust after you." He smirked and   
used his tail to pull Bura down for a long kiss. 

"Ack! I'm still here, ya horndogs!" Trunks pulled out the   
pillow from behind him and whapped the pair of Saiya-jiin, showing   
his disgust. 

Bura pulled away from Goten and stuck her tongue out.   
"You're just jealous, Trunks. Go find a girlfriend to play tonsil   
hockey with." She ducked as the pillow hit her again. 

He just snorted and crawled off the bed. "I'm going to go see   
if Mom is up yet. Coming?" 

She smiled and nodded. "I'll be there in a minute." Trunks   
rolled his eyes and left. 

Bura sighed, rubbing a hand over her eyes. "Gods, what a   
great birthday, ne, Goten?" She stared at a spot on the wall. "And I   
was looking forward to this party tonight, too." Her eyes went wide.   
"I gotta call and cancel everything! I doubt Mama was up to   
anything." She reached for the phone, but was stopped by Goten,   
who pulled her close to him. "What, Goten?" 

"Do I need a reason?" He pressed his lips to hers, burying his   
hands in her hair. She groaned, sagging onto his frame. He just held   
her tighter. 

When the kiss stopped, Bura stared into his black eyes, her   
fingers trailing over his forehead. "I love you, G-chan. Never forget   
that. I would die if you were lost to me." 

Goten swallowed and pulled her close for another   
breath-taking kiss. His tail wound around hers tightly. His lips   
traveled across her cheek, until they brushed across her earlobe.   
"You are my everything, B-chan." He breathed into her ear, his   
tongue flicking across the lobe. Bura shivered at both the sensation   
and his words of love. "I feel incomplete without you. Your soul fills   
the hole in my heart. I love you more than life itself." 

He pulled away when he heard a sniffle. "What's wrong,   
B-chan?" 

She shook her head, her lavender hair brushing against his   
chest. "Nothing, that's what's wrong. Nothing at all." She closed   
her eyes, and bit his chin lightly. Goten responded by nipping at her   
nose. They lay there, in each other's arms for a minute or so, silent.   
No words were needed at the moment to express their deep-seeded   
feelings. 

Goten let go of kiss, and pressed his lips to her forehead.   
"You need to go talk to your mom." 

She sighed and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "But   
she's not as warm as you are. Who needs an electric blanket?" 

Goten chuckled and rolled over, pushing Bura into the   
mattress. "But blankets are so much fun to cuddle under." 

"You're pretty fun to cuddle under as well." Bura purred,   
running a finger over his neck. She reached up and pulled him down   
on top of her, nipping on the crook of his neck lightly with her teeth.   
He growled back, his eyes closing slightly. But he shook his head, and   
got up off the bed, his eyes wide. 

"We can't do that until we're mated, Bura. You know what   
your father would do if I Marked you, or you Marked me before the   
Ceremony." He ran a shaky hand through his wild mane, his tail   
whipping behind him. 

She sighed. She knew. Her tail thumped on the bed in   
frustration. "Fine. I gotta go talk to Mama now, anyway. Trunks is   
probably chomping at the bit, waiting for me." 

Goten nodded. "I'll be in the gravity room, training with your   
father." He held out a hand and she took it, accepting his help off   
the bed. He ran a hand through her hair, straightening out the mess   
of tangles. "Soon, B-chan." He leaned down and kissed her, his   
passion for her evident in the simple gesture. 

She kissed back with an equal fervor, grinding her hips into   
his own. "Stay here tonight?" Her tail brushed against his, its   
seduction loud and clear to the other. 

He swallowed and nodded. "If you want." He sighed and   
jerked his head behind him. "I'm going to use your bathroom to   
change, okay?" 

"That's fine. I'm going to go talk to Mama. Love you." 

He smiled, nodding his head. "Love you, too. Hey, B-chan?   
Did you still want to go out to dinner tonight?" His smile turned into   
a smirk. "We can still celebrate your birthday a little." 

She smiled back. "That would be nice. You definitely have a   
romantic streak, G-chan." She blew him a kiss and left the room. 

Goten stared after her, a silly grin on his face. "I _have_ to   
defeat Vejiita soon. The sooner, the better." He turned to the   
bathroom to change for Vejiita's training session. 

************ 

The next two days went by in a blur. There was still a feeling   
of heavy morose lingering throughout the quiet corridors. Each of   
the residents seemed to find different tasks to keep their minds of   
the other day's event. Goten and Bura were barely seen apart; Goten   
taking up residence in a guestroom. Bura had talked to her   
grandfather, about a song selection, and was rather surprised by his   
choice. She told him that she would need some help, explaining who   
and what she'd require, and he agreed readily. 

Trunks had taken on the task of preparing the rose garden for   
the remembrance ceremony. If it was in worse shape, it would be an   
arduous project, but his grandmother was very particular about her   
roses, and she treated them with almost as much care and love as her   
own grandchildren. They would be holding the ceremony out there, in   
her favorite spot. The ceremony itself would not be a fancy and   
detailed affair; just a few words from a local pastor and whoever   
else wanted to talk. Bura would sing her song, and they would release   
a single dove, one of her favorite birds. A simple ceremony for a   
simple woman. She would have wanted it that way. 

Vejiita did nothing out of the ordinary, at least for him. He   
trained, he sparred, and he ate. Although, those tasks were put on   
immediate hold if he would sense Bulma needing him or his presence.   
Needless to say, Vejiita didn't have many long training sessions. 

While the others seemed to be handling their grief rather   
well, Bulma was not. The news of her mother's death hit her   
hard--she was closer to her mother than her father. Even though   
she shared her genius with her father, he was as aloof with her as   
his experiments. Bulma shared many a night when she was growing up   
talking with her mother about various things--her dreams, her   
inspirations, her crushes, and her disappointments. The frequency of   
their heart-to-heart chats dropped when she went on her adventures   
with Goku, but they returned with a vengeance during the three-year   
training period for the androids. Bulma valued her mother's opinion   
greatly, and she was a wonderful sounding board for her indecisions   
and frustrations with Yamucha, and then Vejiita. Her advice was   
priceless--even when it didn't make much sense at the time. She   
already missed the comforting presence of the elder female greatly. 

But the two days passed by, and it was time for the   
remembrance ceremony. Slowly, people began to arrive in the   
gardens and seat themselves in the folding chairs available, but not   
before offering their condolences to the bereaved. In the front a   
small table was set up, with a framed picture of the deceased,   
beatific smile lighting up the picture. A cluster of her favorite   
flower, the silky roses, were wrapped with a white ribbon. The body   
itself was not there for viewing, due to her own wishes. 

Vejiita and Bulma sat in the front row; Bulma clutching a   
handful of tissue in one hand and the other being held by Vejiita's   
tail. She wore a modest black dress, a lacy shawl wrapped around her   
shoulders. Vejiita wore a black suit, shifting in his chair every once in   
awhile, not saying a word to the people offering their condolences.   
He gave a nod here and there if a comment was directed to him, but   
otherwise he stared directly ahead, his mouth in a grim line. 

Trunks and Bura sat next to their father, also silent and   
sober. Both wore customary black, and gave answering nods and   
murmurs when someone talked to them. 

On the other side of Bulma sat Dr. Briefs, who seemed to have   
aged at least ten years in the past two days. He nodded somberly to   
the guests, but his eyes remained in his lap, where his trembling fingers   
played with a white handkerchief. 

An older man came up walked up to Trunks, and talked to him   
with hushed tones. The purple haired male nodded back to the older   
male, and watched as he moved up to the front of the assembled   
group of mourners. "Today, we're here to celebrate the continuing   
of everlasting life of Mini Briefs, beloved wife, mother, grandmother,   
and friend." 

The rest of the sermon given by the pastor was heard, but not   
absorbed by Bulma, who had begun to cry once more in earnest.   
Vejiita, showing a rare sight of public affection, pulled Bulma down to   
his shoulder, whispering comforting words to his mate. Soon, she was   
able to compose herself, and she sat up, but not without having   
Vejiita's muscled hand curled around hers, resting in her lap. 

"Now, as it was Mini's request, she wanted this to be a rememberance   
ceremony, not just a time to grieve over her departure," the Pastor   
said. "Would anyone like to say anything?" 

The group was quiet for awhile, no one wanting to start, or   
knew what to say. Trunks finally broke the silence when he stood,   
clear his throat. "Well, to start off, I guess I just wanted to say   
that I am going to miss Gramma tremendously." He grinned a little.   
"No one could whip up a chocolate cake and a glass of lemonade   
spontaneously like she could." A few chuckles arose from the crowd,   
from those who knew her culinary talents. "I remember the time   
when I had come home from school one day and I had done rather   
poorly on an important test. Gramma was the one who saw me first,   
and just by looking at me, she knew what I needed." She smiled at   
Bura, who had a small smirk on her face. "She sat me down at the   
table and pulled out an entire cherry pie, telling me if I didn't finish   
it within five minutes, she was never going to bake again. Well, I   
wasn't going to deprive the world of her culinary talents, so I   
finished it in four minutes." Another chuckle floated through the   
crowd. "I felt a lot better after that. Forgot about the test, that's   
for sure." He sat back down. 

Bura shook her head. "You forget a lot when you have a full   
stomach." 

Yamucha was the next to stand up. "Mrs. Briefs was very   
special to me for many reasons, but one in particular. When I was   
growing up, I didn't have any sort of a 'mother' figure in my life.   
And when I was going out with Bulma, she filled that role for me. I   
was always grateful for her for that." Bulma glanced at Yamucha,   
and the two shared a smile before he sat down. 

The memories flowed after that, many of them from happy   
and joyful times. A few remembered some of her sillier moments,   
but they all were said with fondness and love for a woman that   
touched many of their lives. 

After awhile, Dr. Briefs stood, and gave the assembled   
friends and family a small, genuine smile. "Thank you all. It's a   
wonderful feeling knowing that Mini will live on in all of you. She   
cared for her family and friends deeply, and was especially overjoyed   
when her 'handsome boyfriends' made a visit." He made eye contact   
with Goku and Vejiita. 

"One of her greatest joys was this garden." He raised his   
hands, indicating the area around them. "She loved to sit among the   
roses, digging in the dirt to help them grow. It is my wish for you all,   
before you leave, to have one of her blossoms. She would like to have   
part of herself, besides her memories, for you to take home." 

He turned to Bura and smiled. "And now, if you would, child, sing a song in   
her honor. She so loved your voice." He sat back down, giving Bulma's   
offered hand a squeeze. 

Bura stood up, and moved to the front of the room. "This song   
is rather special to both me and Gramma. I sang this as a part of a   
duet in a choir several years ago, and Gramma offered her voice to   
me as my partner when I practiced at home." She swallowed hard,   
and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "It was   
invaluable time between the two of us, and whenever I hear it I   
always I will remember the time I spent with her." She sniffled,   
composing herself. "Since the person I dueted with the first time is   
not here, nor is the one I preformed with in the concert, I've asked   
another special person in my life to help me out." She smiled into the   
gathered people, and Goten stood up, coming to join her in front. 

She held out a hand, and Goten grasped it tightly. She nodded   
to Pan, who stood by a CD player. She pressed 'play' and a soft flute   
started to play, its notes sounding rather loud against the silence of   
the group. 

Bura started out singing, her high soprano voice ringing clear: 

_ 'Pie Jesu, pie jesu._   
_ pie jesu, pie jesu._   
_ Qui tollis peccata mundi_   
_ dona eis requiem_   
_ dona eis requiem.'_

The flute's notes trilled again, acccompanied with an orchestra, and   
Goten took a deep breath, preparing to echo his friend, lover, and future mate: 

_ 'Pie Jesu, pie jesu._   
_ pie jesu, pie jesu.'_

Bura joined in, harmonizing with Goten. Their voices   
resonated against each other, the sound pleasing on the ears, despite   
the high range: 

_'Qui tollis peccata mundi_   
_ dona eis requiem_   
_ dona eis requiem.'_

Many members of the crowd were startled by the pure quality   
of Goten's voice. Only a few select people knew of the hidden talent   
that the half Saiya-jiin kept secret. Goten, himself, did not think he   
had a very good voice, modest soul that he was. But Bura knew, and   
was very proud of him. Goten did enjoy singing, and knew that singing   
and reading music came to him easily, but his high tenor voice didn't   
do him much good on the battle field or in training. 

The song continued after a short piano interlude, Bura closing   
her eyes as they both sang again. A choir could be heard on the   
recording, echoing their words: 

_ 'Agnus dei, agnus dei_   
_ agnus dei, agnus dei.'_

The choir cut out, and the two harmonized once again, their pure   
tones echoed despite the open area in which they sang: 

_ 'Qui tollis peccata mundi_   
_ dona eis requiem_   
_ dona eis requiem.'_

_ (choir) 'Dona eis requiem'_   
_ (G & B) sempiternam_   
_ sempiternam_   
_ (B) requiem_   
_ (G) sempiternam_

The piano faded out, and Goten and Bura sat back down, their   
hands intertwined with the other. Dr. Briefs stood back up, wiping   
his eyes with the linen handkerchief in his hand. "Thank you very   
much, Bura, Goten. That was beautiful." He cleared his throat. "I   
just want to thank you all for coming, to pay your respects to Mini.   
She loved you all, and would have been thrilled to see so many of her   
friends and loved ones to be in one place. Knowing her," he smiled   
and shook his head slightly, "she'd be running around with a tray of   
something good to eat and drink. And in her spirit, there will be a   
reception in the main dining hall. Please, continue your celebrating of   
her life there. Once again, thank you all for coming." He nodded to   
the group and turned to Bulma, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She   
returned it along with a long hug. 

Bulma reached below her, and opened the cage that held the lone dove.   
She lightly fingered the soft, feathery head of the pure white avian, and   
pressed her lips to the downy feathers. With a small toss, she released   
the bird of peace, and all watched in silence was it carried away to the   
heavens the spirit of Mini Briefs. 

Murmurs filled the yard as the mourners broke up, forming   
small groups to talk or venturing inside for food. Trunks, Pan, Goten   
and Bura immediately closed in on each other. Pan smiled at her   
uncle, giving him a hug. "I didn't know you could sing that well, Uncle!   
Both of you sounded very good together." 

Goten blushed, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.   
"Um...yeah." He didn't know how to take compliments about his   
non-fighting skills. 

Bura did, though. She smiled and wrapped her arms around   
Goten's waist. "Thank you, Pan-chan. We have been practicing   
non-stop since I found out what song Grampa wanted me to sing. But   
I knew we could pull it off. Goten has an amazing range. He can go   
higher than I can." 

Trunks rolled his eyes. "So, who kicked ya in the balls for you   
to hit those high notes?" 

Goten sputtered but Bura put a finger on his lips. "No one had   
to, Trunks," she smirked. "G-chan's a natural." 

Goten said nothing, just blushed a dark red. He didn't want to   
stress his individuality in that area, so he thought the subject matter   
needed to be changed. "My stomach heard the magic word and it   
needs satisfaction." It growled to emphasize its point. He shrugged   
his shoulders, smirking. "Told ya. Food, anyone?" He didn't even   
bother to hear their answer before leading Bura inside to get his   
share. 

Trunks sighed and held out an elbow for Pan. "Might as well,   
before the garbage disposal gets it all." Pan snickered back and   
accepted the offered arm. 

****** 

On the other side of the garden, Bulma was sitting in a chair,   
quietly talking with ChiChi. Goku and Vejiita were inside the minute they   
heard the word 'food'. 

Videl and Gohan joined them. "It was a lovely ceremony,   
Bulma," Videl said, giving the older woman a hug. "Your mother would   
have loved it." 

Gohan gave her a comforting hug as well. "The best thing I   
remember about her was her attitude toward everything. Nothing   
seemed to faze her, especially a group of people flying around.   
She always greeted everyone with a smile on her face." He gave   
Bulma a kind smile. 

She smiled back. "Nothing really ever fazed both Mom and   
Dad. They took everything in stride." Her smile faded. "It won't be   
the same around here without her." 

ChiChi patted her friend's arm. "I felt the same way when   
Papa died. But the hurt and the pain fades with time. I still miss him   
greatly, but Goku-saa, Goten and Gohan helped me get through it.   
Vejiita, Trunks and Bura will do the same." 

A sly smile spread across Videl's face when Bura's name was   
mentioned. "So, Bulma, what's the status on Goten and Bura?" 

The topic change cheered the genius up a little. "Well, they're   
really close. They've been spending every minute possible together,   
but the past couple days they've been practicing for that song." She   
leaned in conspiratorially; the others copying her move. She glanced   
around to see if certain parties were around. They weren't. "But I   
think Goten's going to challenge Vejiita soon." 

ChiChi blinked a few times in confusion. "Why would he do   
that?" 

"Because that's how it's done. At least for Vejiita." Bulma   
rolled her eyes. "It's some sort of Saiya-jiin tradition. Sort of like   
asking the father for permission." 

"Actually, Bulma, it's almost exactly like that." Gohan   
explained. "But there's a little more bloodshed involved." 

"Bloodshed?" ChiChi's eyes went wide. "Bloodshed?" 

Bulma nodded. "Goten has to defeat Vejiita in order for him   
and B-chan to get married. He has to 'prove his abilities' to him."   
Bulma sighed, and rested her chin in one hand. "But I don't know if   
Goten will be able to win. Vejiita can go Super 4, since I modified the   
Brute Ray to bring back all of your tails." She pointed to the brown   
tail that was wrapped around Videl's calf. 

Gohan smirked, crossing his arms in a superior manner. "And   
who says Goten can't?" 

The three females stared at the lone male, eyes and mouths   
wide in shock. "You mean he can?" Bulma blurted out. "Does Vejiita   
know?" 

Gohan shook his head, his smirk still plastered on his face.   
"That's not for me to say, Bulma. But I will say that Goten just   
might give Vejiita a run for his money. When he wants something,   
there is not much that stands in his way." 

"And how do you know this, Gohan?" Videl frowned. 

"Well," he scratched his cheek, his smirk fading to a light   
frown. "I don't know if I should say this, so don't tell anyone else,   
okay?" He pointedly looked at Bulma. All three females nodded their   
heads in agreement. "Vejiita doesn't know this, and I don't think   
Trunks does, either, but Goten has been training with Dad and I at   
night, trying to prepare for his Mating Challenge." 

"What?" 

"He has?" 

"You have?" All three females were in shock at this news. 

"Is that where you've been going after supper?" Videl   
queried, a knowing frown on her face. "You said you're studying at   
the library for another thesis." 

"Well, I've thought about going for another doctorate, but I   
haven't decided." Gohan confessed. "But Goten didn't want anyone   
else knowing about the training sessions, in case the news got back to   
Vejiita." 

"But why the secrecy?" Bulma shook her head. "There's no   
need for it, at least I don't think there is. Vejiita's been training   
him really hard in the mornings." 

"He wanted to have a surprise waiting in the wings, you could   
say. He's been holding back in his training with Vejiita, as well, not   
letting him know about his increased strength." 

"So how strong is he, Gohan?" All three females leaned   
forward to hear the answer. 

Gohan leaned forward as well. "Well, he's...going to have to   
tell you, himself, because I'm not going to say." He leaned back, a smug look   
on his handsome features. 

"GOHAN!!!"   


************ 

Sorry, I should have warned you all about character death. Gomen nasai! But   
the song is beautiful, ne? Here are the translated lyrics: 

_Pie Jesu _ Merciful Jesus   
_ Qui tollis peccata mundi_ Who takest away the sins of the world   
_ Dona eis requiem _ Grant them rest   
_ Angus Dei _ Oh Lamb of God   
_ Dona eis requiem sempiternam _ Grant them eternal rest 

Next time, we honor Vejiita's precious oujoko's birthing. *grin* And maybe a certain young pointy-haired male challenged an older flame-haired male for Mating Rights? Hmmm... 

Ja matte ne, minna! Gie-chan 


	3. Zor and Zam

**When Love Comes Knockin' at Your Door**   
**Gie: phowah@cs.com**

_Disclaimer: The characters within aren't mine--yeah, yeah, yeah....I've heard it before...but Santa, can't I have them for Christmas?! The song, '_Zor and Zam'_ is sung by The Monkees...yes, I know, The Monkees...if you didn't know, all the titles for this story, including the main one, are titles to Monkees songs. *hehehe*_

_*warning* Very very very long...about 115k! OI!!! I also upped the rating, since there's a little swearing and a lot of bloodshed._

_Please, please, please, review this chapter...I worked very hard on it...it made my intestines curl up into knots at times...yes, it hurt...but we have you you've all waited for...the battle of the century! Vejiita vs. Goten...battleground...scanned...warriors...lined up...ready...read! *blink blink* hehe...can you tell I've been watching Zoids? Well, when I heard Richard Ian Cox's voice as Bit...I almost cried...Ranma-kun!!! Come to me! oi...hehehe...I'll go away now...Read and review, please!_

_Gie-chan_   
*********   


**When Love Comes Konckin' At Your Door**   
**Chapter Three: Zor and Zam**   


The next few days after the remembrance ceremony of Mini   
Briefs passed uneventfully; the employees and residents of Capsule   
Corporation falling into normal routines and patterns, albeit with a   
more somber outlook on the day. People came and went, performing   
their routine tasks as efficiently as possible. The bubbly blonde's   
presence was missed, but time marches on. 

Normal routines went out the window for Bulma, however. She   
notified her employees that she was taking a short leave of absence,   
to recover from the loss of her mother. So for the most part, Bulma   
was to be found in the living quarters of CC, making a general nuisance   
of herself to her family. She discovered several projects that she   
had left unfinished, due to other conflicts or loss of interest. 

Deciding to finish them up was one way to occupy her mind and hands,   
while not trying to think of the hole in her heart. But such tasks   
sometimes required the assistance of a pair of muscular arms, or a   
handy floating ladder. Trunks and Bura, realizing early on that being   
their mother's personal slave was not a fun task, the pair of half   
Saiya-jiin made themselves scarce, fast. So that left Vejiita. 

Which threw Vejiita's rigid schedule off-track. At first, he   
was patient with her, realizing that she was still grieving the loss of   
the elder female in her life. He could understand that, and tried to   
keep his temper in check when her fussing and demands broke into his   
training time. Time after time, after time. So, when summoned for   
the thirtieth time in some odd hours, he finally had enough. 

"Onna! Get out of my hair!" Vejiita growled at the   
purple-tressed female on the vid-screen. His glare turned darker and   
darker with each finger push-up he did. 

"But, Vejiita! I really need you! It's important." 

"Important, my tail!" He bounced on his fingertip, executing a   
somersault to face the screen right side up. "The last time you said it   
was important all you wanted me to do was change a light bulb!" He   
crossed his arms in a huff. 

"I was in the dark! Did you want me to stumble around blindly   
and crack my hip falling over something? I'm just a weak human,   
remember? My eyes don't glow in the dark!" She huffed back, her   
eyebrows hunched over in a scowl. "But this time it really is   
important. I need you to move…" 

"Oh, no." The Prince shook his head. "I am not a piece of   
muscle you can just order around, Onna!" 

"Yes, you are." Bulma smirked at him. "Since I can't find the   
kids, you get to help." 

"Damn brats." He sighed and pinched his nose. "Can't you get a   
bot to do your menial labor? Isn't that what they are programmed to   
do?" 

Her smirk faded. "Oh, bots, well, they…can't you just come in   
here? It will only take a minute..." 

"No, Onna. I am awaiting the arrival of Kakarotto's spawn. Use   
your bots." His tone and expression left no room for argument. 

"Fine. Be that way. I don't care." She stared heatedly at   
Vejiita. 

He stared right back. "Neither do I." And shut off the   
vid-link. 

He let a smirk cross his face, savoring the feel of the victory.   
"It seems like she's getting back to normal. Finally." He turned   
around when he felt the pressure drop back to normal, and watched as   
Goten pulled open the door. "Where have you been, spawn? You were   
supposed to be here half hour before." 

"Sorry, Vejiita," Goten apologized, giving him a small smile. "I   
hurried over as soon as I could. Mom wouldn't let me leave until I did   
some stuff for her." He twisted himself around, warming up his   
muscles. 

Vejiita watched him do his exercises, eyeing the blue sash oddly. A   
deep frown was pasted on his features. "If this is going to be an   
example of your attitude, then we can stop with the training sessions." 

Goten glanced up at him, surprised. "What? You want to   
stop?" 

"Well, I don't need to waste my time with a third-class brat   
who won't even show up on time." He crossed his arms and watched as   
a scowl formed on the young Saiya-jiin's features. Goten pushed his   
stretching a little harder, ire evident in his moves. After a moment,   
Vejiita spoke again, his voice even and serious. "Tell me, Goten. Are   
you serious about your pursuit of Bura?" 

Goten stood up, his back rigid as he turned around to face   
Vejiita. "I am very serious about Bura. You are well aware of that." 

"Outward appearances can not always be trusted, Goten. The   
mind does not always work in sync with the body." Vejiita started to   
circle Goten, who remained very still, standing in one place. 

But the young Saiya-jiin's eyes followed every movement of the   
other male. He put out a hand to block a hand jab meant for his   
sternum. Vejiita nodded slightly, acknowledging the block and his   
awareness. He continued talking as he circled. "The mind can   
command the body to do certain things, and ascend to certain levels.   
But the body has its limits, and its weaknesses, causing it to be   
rendered helpless against the thoughts of the mind." He reached out   
to stab a pressure point in Goten's lower back, but was blocked quickly   
when he swung around, lifting a knee. Vejiita smirked and nodded. 

"But one thing can override both the mind and the body-the   
heart. The soul of a warrior can be his ascension into greatness, or it   
can be his downfall." He paused in front of Goten, locking eyes with   
the taller male. "Tell me, do you remember how you made the jump to   
Super Saiya-jiin?" 

Goten blinked at the question. "I was sparring with my mom." 

"Do you remember why you turned Super Saiya-jiin?" 

He thought about it for a moment. "Well, Mom and I were   
sparring pretty hard, or at least hard for a seven year old and a   
human. Mom got a good kick in, and I went flying back. I got mad and   
tackled her. She went flying back, and called me a punk." He frowned   
slightly. "What does this all have to do with me and Bura?" 

He ignored his question. "What were you feeling when you   
ascended?" 

Goten sighed. "I don't know. Angry?" 

"Really?" Vejiita raised an eyebrow, and broke his lock of   
Goten's eyes. He turned around. "What would you have to be angry   
about, at such a young age? Did the shot your mother got in upset you   
so much?" 

"Well, I guess so…I didn't really realize what happened until   
she pointed it out to me, and then I didn't know what it was called   
until Trunks told me about it." He let out a sigh. "It might have been   
more like frustration, at not winning. It's been awhile since I thought   
about it." 

"Was it frustration? Was it anger? Or was it the heat of the   
battle ringing in your veins?" He chuckled a little. "I have to admit   
this, spawn, but you have the most potential of letting your Saiya-jiin   
side take over your rational thought than your brother or third-class   
father. And the same goes for Bura. She may not have as much   
power as Trunks, but she is more Saiya-jiin than human." He threw a   
glance over his shoulder, seeing the surprised expression on his face.   
"Just like you. Gohan and Kakarotto may eclipse you, power level-wise,   
but your Saiya-jiin blood far outshines them." Vejiita moved to the   
panel and set the controls, rapidly increasing the level to their normal   
training pressure. 

Goten blinked in shock. It was almost a confession   
of...admiration? Not from him, Goten smiled inwardly. It was   
probably the closest admission of acceptation from the venerable   
Prince. "Um...thanks, I think." He adjusted his stance to handle the   
pressure better. "But what does this have to do with not training?" 

"It has everything to do with it, if you still want to prove   
yourself to me, boy." Vejiita flared into Super Saiya-jiin, rising   
quickly to Level 3. He tossed his head a few times to settle the mass   
of hair extending down his back. "Do you think you have what it takes,   
boy? Are you worthy of my daughter?" Vejiita had a grim smirk as he   
slid into a high striking stance. 

The young Saiya-jiin bowed his head for a moment. "Yes, I do,   
Vejiita. It is time." He raised his head, a very serious look on his   
face. "Vejiita, I, Son Goten, by my right as a potential Mate, challenge   
you for Mating Rights to Briefs Bura Vejiita no Oujo." He stared the   
older male down. "Do you accept my challenge, Vejiita? Do you accept   
my claim?" 

Vejiita drew himself up straight, narrowing his black eyes at   
the younger male when he heard Goten's serious tone. His tail   
whipped once behind him. "Do you think you are ready to challenge me,   
Son Goten? If you fail, are you ready for the consequences? Is my   
daughter ready for your defeat?" 

He nodded. "I am well aware of what will happen if I fail to   
defeat you. My claim as a potential Mate to Bura will be defunct, and   
I will die. Bura is well aware of what may happen if I fail." He smiled   
slightly. "She doesn't like it, and will more than likely hate you forever   
if I die, but she knows, and accepts it. 

Vejiita flinched slightly at his words. He knew, as well. He   
opened his mouth to speak, but Goten stopped him when he began to   
power up. The young candidate for Bura's heart flared into Super   
Saiya-jiin. And kept going. 

Super Saiya-jiin, Level 2. 

Super Saiya-jiin, Level 3. 

Vejiita blinked as he watched the thick blond spikes roll down   
Goten's back, as he continued to power up, stopping the ascension at   
the high end of the 3rd level range, dead even with the elder male.   
The two Level 3 Saiya-jiin stared at each other, their   
aquamarine-rimmed black eyes boring into the other's gaze, unvoiced   
challenges flowed like blood between the warriors. 

Goten stepped forward, and raised his hand, placing it on   
Vejiita's shoulder. A low growl rumbled through the gravity chamber,   
but before the Prince could argue the contact, Goten raised his other   
hand, two fingers touching his forehead. "This is not the place for a   
proper challenge." And both disappeared. 

They reappeared in a barren canyon, and immediately Goten   
took a few steps back, keeping plenty of space in-between the two.   
He watched as Vejiita blinked and looked around, noting the area.   
"This will do. I didn't think you wanted the gravity chamber to be   
ruined." 

He grunted, and watched Goten out of the corner of his eye as   
he memorized the surrounding, taking in each and every detail that   
could help or hinder his challenger. "I see you've been doing some   
extra training, spawn. What else has your third-class sire taught   
you?" 

"You'll find out." Goten smirked, the spitting image of his   
father when fighting Buu, and slid into a loose stance. "Are you ready,   
Senshi no Ouji? Do you accept my challenge?" 

He slid into an opposite stance, and nodded. "I accept your   
challenge, senshi. Prepare to defend yourself!" With a yell, Vejiita   
charged at Goten, his fist aglow with ki. 

And the battle for Bura's soul began. 

********** 

The door swung open, revealing the female in a tight black tank   
and a red mini-skirt, matching red jacket held on one hand. She   
pirouetted in front of the mirror, catching her image from all angles.   
"So, what do you think of this one, Pan-chan?" Bura said, eyeing the   
younger female that sat in a chair in front of her. 

"Hmm...well, it's definitely you, if that's what your asking." Pan   
replied. "But..." 

"But what?" 

"Well, you always wear red and black, B-chan." Pan shrugged a   
small apologetic smile on her face. "Why not try something   
different?" 

Bura frowned at the image in the mirror. "But I like red and   
black!" She turned around a few times. "Well, then what do you   
suggest?" 

Pan stood up and walked out into the store they were picking   
out new clothes in. She arrived back a few moments later, holding an   
outfit in her hand. "How about this one?" She held it up to her   
friend. 

"What?" She almost fainted in shock. "You know I can't wear   
yellow! It clashes with my hair!" She shied away from the modest   
bright-yellow sundress. "How could you even suggest something like   
that!" 

"You asked for something different, and I gave you something   
different." The black-haired female plopped back down in the cushy   
chair, crossing her legs underneath her. "It's not that bad--for a   
dress, that is." 

Bura made a face, and pushed it away with her toe.   
"Ugh...seeing that makes me think of cheezy songbirds in spring..." She   
smirked, though, when an idea struck her. "Okay, I'll wear it, if   
you...wear a dress tomorrow night at the club!" Her face lit up and   
she blinked out of sight. "And I know just which one!" 

Pan let out a gasp. "No way! I hate dresses! You know that!"   
She shook her head emphatically, curling up into a ball. "I break out in   
warts and boils if one touches my skin." 

She let out a squeal when Bura threw her 'choice' over her   
head. "Well, there's a cream for that." Pan peeked out from under   
the articles of clothing and stuck out her tongue in defiance. Bura   
just rolled her eyes. "Come on, try it on. And," she sighed and picked   
up the yellow dress on the floor, "I'll try this one on. The things I do   
for you..." She walked back into the dressing room, leaving Pan alone. 

"Fine." She grumbled, dragging the outfit behind her as she   
moved into another dressing room. "But if one of the warts and boils   
breaks open, I'm spreading the pus all over you!" 

"Eeww! You are so gross, P-chan!" 

"P-chan?! I'm not a pig!" 

"You eat like one!" 

"So do you!" 

"You both wear bandannas..." 

"I don't turn into a guy!" 

"Well, you are a tomboy, it's close enough." 

The two fuming females burst out of their own dressing rooms,   
staring each other down. Both had their new outfits on. Bura, like   
she said she would, looked absolutely ridiculous in the yellow sundress.   
It didn't fit well on her thin frame, and it clashed badly against her   
lavender hair. Pan, though, didn't look half-bad. Bura had picked out a   
long, navy blue skirt, with a knee-high back slit. Small yellow and red   
flowers were scattered throughout the material. The red silk blouse,   
with half sleeves and a flare collar, complimented her small frame   
nicely. 

Bura blinked at her choice, and studied Pan with a critical eye.   
"Hey, I did a good job! You look really nice, P-chan!" 

She rolled her eyes in distaste, glancing at herself in the   
mirror. "I look like a big bloody bruise." She glanced back again, and   
turned slightly, her eyes showing a little spark of interest. "Well,   
maybe not a bruise..." She ran a hand down her hip. 

"See? I know what I'm doing." Bura smirked triumphantly.   
She groaned, though, when she saw herself in the mirror. "Now, you   
on the other hand, are color-blind, or something. I look like a stick of   
butter!" 

Pan let out a giggle. "I bet we can make Goten into a piece of   
bread or something..." 

Bura rolled her eyes. "You have a weird sense of humor,   
P-chan." She tugged at the outfit in distaste, ignoring Pan's grumbles   
over her new nickname. "Come on, I need to find something for   
tomorrow night's party." 

She pointed at the original red and black outfit. 'Well, that   
one wasn't that bad, B-chan. But I think the plum tank and jacket   
would look better on you. I'd compliment your hair." 

"You think so?" Bura went into the store and retrieved the   
plum version. She went into the dressing room to change. A moment   
later, the yellow dress came flying out. "Get that thing out of my   
sight! I think I have a few warts and boils of my own." 

Pan ignored her complaining friend as she looked at herself in   
the mirror. She had to admit, the outfit looked nice on her. She ran   
her fingers across her stomach, noticing how the shirt emphasized   
her small chest and her thin waist. Maybe someone else would notice   
the same thing... 

She was jerked out of her thoughts when she saw Bura come   
out of the dressing room, this time in a plum tank and black jacket and   
skirt. She twirled around a few times. "I rearranged the colors.   
What do you think?" 

Pan nodded. "Yeah, that looks good. Goten'll be knocked over   
on his tail." 

"I know. Goten gets knocked on his tail with whatever I wear."   
She turned to Pan, a small smile curling at her lips. "So, are you going   
to get it?" 

"Well, maybe." Pan blushed a little. "I have to admit, B-chan,   
it's not that bad." 

"You doubted me? I'm so disappointed in you, P-chan!" Bura   
blinked in mock horror. "You know I..." She trailed off, whipping her   
head around, her eyes staring off into the distance. 

"What? What's wrong, Bura?" Pan looked in the same   
direction. "What is it?" 

"It's started." She swallowed hard, her hand fluttered up to   
her heart, fisting in the jacket's lapel. "Oh, Dende, he's doing it." 

"Doing it? Who's...." Pan stiffened as she finally felt the high   
ki signatures. "Uncle finally challenged Vejiita. He said it would be   
soon..." She threw her arms around Bura. "Oh, B-chan!" 

Bura let out a sob and pulled her friend to the floor. "Oh,   
Goten...Papa...why this way? Why can't we just do it normally?" 

"Because we're not normal, B-chan. We aren't human...we're   
Saiya-jiin. You know that." She spoke quietly, trying to comfort her   
friend. 

"Gohan won't have your potential husband fight him to the   
death!" Bura blurted out, her face twisted in anguish. "Why this   
way?" 

"It doesn't have to be to the death, Bura." Pan said   
half-heartedly, knowing her words to be false. 

"As if my Papa will admit defeat. It'll be either Goten's   
death..." She trailed off, and swallowed, looking into her lap. 

"Or Papa's." 

********* 

Grunts and the soft, solid sound of fist striking flesh were the   
only sounds that echoed throughout the deserted canyon as the two   
warriors battled to their limits, each vying for the win. 

Goten ducked, his long hair following in his movements as he   
avoided Vejiita's fist. "It seems to me that you aren't trying your   
best, Vejiita!" He balled his hands together and tried for the soft   
underbelly of the elder male, but was unable to reach his mark when   
Vejiita twisted out of the way. "This is a serious matter." 

Which then left his back open for the palm strike. "I am   
taking it easy on you, spawn! If I were going full out, you would be   
nothing but a shred of clothing and a lock of hair." Vejiita swung down   
hard, striking the lower back of the younger male. 

Goten quickly rolled out of the way, recovering fast. He spun   
to the left to avoid the ball of ki that just barely missed his shoulder.   
"Maybe it's time for you to quit fighting, Vejiita! Your old bones can't   
take much more of the strain you put on them. They'll break under   
the smallest of pressure." He reached out, grabbing Vejiita's arm and   
twisted it behind him, trying to prove his words. 

But the Prince just used the momentum he gained in the twist   
to bring Goten around, in the same move. "Don't try those baby tricks   
on me, boy. I've seen too much to fall under those simple ploys." He   
growled in Goten's ear, tightening his grip on the younger male. "It   
seems that Bura will have to learn to live without a third-class spawn   
as her mate." He chuckled as Goten thrashed in his grip, incensed by   
his words. "She's probably forgotten about you already!" 

Goten yelled, throwing his aura out. "Never!" He quickly   
gathered a palm-sized ball of ki in the hand that Vejiita held, and   
thrust backward, shoving it into his chest. "Bura will never forget   
me!" He gasped when Vejiita let him go, as he twisted out of the ki   
ball's trajectory. "We have Bonded! There is no separating us!" 

The elder male wiped his lip, grinning to himself. "That's it,   
boy. I want to see it all." He spoke louder. "Impossible, whelp! You   
can not fully Bond without performing the Ceremony! Your puppy love   
is nothing but a crush." Vejiita growled and powered up to the   
maximum level of Super Saiya-jiin 3. "It's time to take your beating   
like a Saiya-jiin!" He threw up a glowing hand, and let loose a ball of ki   
fly into the air behind the panting Goten. Laughing wildly, Vejiita   
stared into the pulsing orb. "This is how it will be, boy!" And he began   
to change; his body growing and elongating. Bright golden-yellow fur   
sprouted from his skin as the clothes he wore tore away from the   
expanding limbs. A blood-curdling roar was ripped from the Prince's   
throat as he reveled in the feel of his transformed state. 

Soon, a full-sized golden Oozaru stood in front of the much   
smaller male. The burning red eyes gleamed down at the diminutive   
Goten. "Bow before your Prince, boy! This is what a true Saiya-jiin's   
power feels like. Admit your defeat, and I will make your death quick   
and painless." The giant were-monkey chuckled as he tossed a palm of   
ki from one paw to the other. 

Goten stared at the towering Oozaru. He could feel the power   
radiating from the golden body. He blinked a few times and shook his   
head. "I will never admit defeat, without first trying my damnedest   
to win. Prepare yourself, Vejiita." And with that said, Goten turned   
around and stared into the pulsing orb of moon-ki. He let out a sigh   
when he felt the tell-tale tingle of the change. "Have faith in me,   
B-chan. I will not let you down!" 

********* 

"Before everyone loses their focus for the long weekend,   
please hand in your assigned essays." The class rustled through their   
papers, and one by one, handed in the assigned work. Gohan nodded   
and made comments to the students as they passed his desk. When   
they were through, he stepped up to the podium. "Okay, so what's the   
day's topic?" 

"We were going to talk about current events today," one   
student called out. 

"Right. So, who wants to contribute first?" 

'My sister's getting married this weekend." A few chuckles   
went around the room. 

Gohan shook his head, and chuckled himself. "Tell her   
congratulations, but is that something the class can talk about?" 

The student blushed a little. "Um, well..." 

"Anyone else?" A few hands went up. Gohan pointed to a   
random student. "Yes?" 

He leaned forward eagerly. "How about the 35th anniversary   
of the Cell Games?" 

Gohan gave him a watery smile. "Well, that's true, that is next   
week, is it not? Did you have something in particular you wanted to   
talk about?" 

"Well, I've always been sort of a martial arts buff," the   
student smirked, his eyes gleamed with hidden knowledge. "And since   
you were there, Son-sensei, I thought you could give us a first hand   
account of what happened." 

The whole class let out a gasp, shocked at the news. "You were   
there, Son-sensei?" A girl breathed out. "Did you fight Cell?" A few   
other questions reached his reddening ears. 

"Did you see Mr. Satan defeat Cell?" 

"Were you one of the Gold fighters?" 

"Is Mr. Satan as cool as his movies?" 

Gohan held up his hands, a deep frown on his face. "Hold it,   
everyone! Settle down!" Once the class quieted, he turned a stern   
eye on the questioner. "So tell me, Dawyer-san, where did you get the   
idea I was at the Cell Games?" 

Dawyer leaned back, obviously confident in his information.   
"Well, in the old TV footage, after the one fighter gave up his position   
fighting Cell--Son Goku--who is your father, right, Son-sensei?"   
Gohan hesitated, then nodded once. "Son Goku called for lunch, or so   
the reporter thought he said. But what he said was 'Gohan'--which   
was you, right, Son-sensei?" 

The classroom was silent, waiting for Gohan's answer. All eyes   
were on him. Gohan groaned to himself, and shook his head. 'Why   
now? I thought all the hype over the Cell Games was over with.' He   
sighed and took off his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose.   
"Dawyer-san, do you really need to know?" 

The young man flinched at the question. "Well, I'd really like   
to know, Son-sensei. But if you really don't want to talk about it..." 

Gohan sighed. "That's fine, Dawyer-san. I really don't want   
to, but that's fine." He glanced up at the class. "Before I answer his   
question, I want you all to promise me that whatever gets revealed   
within this classroom, it will remain in this classroom." He glanced   
around at his rapt students. "Do you all agree?" 

The students glanced at each other, and one male raised a   
hand. "Is that really necessary, Son-sensei?" 

"Yes, it is. If I know you all, the minute I answer Dawyer-san's   
question, everything that you know about the Cell Games is going to   
become skewed. I will promise you, though, any questions that I   
answer are completely true--all the information is correct. It may   
seem impossible, and unbelievable, but it is true." Gohan glanced   
around, his face serious. "So do you all agree? The information stays   
here?" 

The students, one by one, slowly nodded in agreement. Gohan   
sighed and nodded. "Thank you, all. I just wanted you to realize how   
serious of a topic that we are about to embark upon. Public opinion is   
one thing--but the actual events are completely another." He turned   
to the sandy-haired male in the third row. "Yes, Dawyer-san. That   
was me. I was there--and I fought Cell." 

The class exploded with questions, and Gohan just held up his   
hands again for silence. "One at a time, please." 

A girl held up her hand. "So you were the 'delivery boy?'"   
Gohan nodded his head. "How old were you?" 

"Eleven." 

"How long have you been studying martial arts, Son-sensei?" 

He frowned slightly. "I started training when I was four and a   
half." 

"Did you dye your hair blond for the fight?" 

Gohan blinked. "Umm...no, not exactly. What that is, is..." he   
thought for a minute on how to phrase it. "Me and my father and a   
few of my training partners can access a special martial arts   
technique that, when used, changes the color of our hair." 

Dawyer held up his hand. "They weren't 'tricks' as Mr. Satan   
called them, right, Son-sensei?" 

He shook his head. "No, they aren't." 

He leaned forward eagerly. "They're ki attacks, aren't they?" 

Gohan looked surprised. "How do you know about ki,   
Dawyer-san?" 

"Like I said, Son-sensei, I'm a martial arts buff. I've studied   
several types--kendo, kempo, tai chi--and heard of the use of one's   
aura and ki. But I didn't know if it was true or not. Only really   
advanced masters of the Art can access their ki and manipulate it to   
do certain things." He smiled, a little awe shining in his eyes. "If it   
was, then you must've been an incredible master of the Art at such a   
young age, Son-sensei." 

Gohan nodded, slightly impressed. He felt out the young man,   
and could tell he had studied some in the Arts, but was not advanced   
as, say Videl was, at that age. "Yes, they are ki attacks, Dawyer-san.   
And they are very deadly. Only the most advanced in the Arts can use   
their ki in such ways. But when I was young, I also had incredible   
potential, and was trained under highly intense conditions." 'Like   
wanting to defend Chikyuu against murdering Saiya-jiin that will arrive   
in a year.' "How long have you trained in the Art, Dawyer-san?" 

"A little over twelve years. I started when I was seven in basic   
karate." Dawyer blushed slightly. "I always thought your father was   
the greatest martial artist alive, Son-sensei. I've seen all his   
Tenka-ichi Budokai fights--even the one where he fought against   
Jackie Chun." He blinked a few times, when Gohan didn't answer.   
"Son-sensei? Are you okay?" 

Gohan had been staring off into space, not paying attention to   
his students. Goten made his challenge. He and Vejiita were at Level   
3 right now. 'I wish I could be watching them...it's going to be a great   
fight.' "What, Dawyer-san? Did you ask me something?" 

Dawyer glanced at another student then back to his professor.   
"I was just saying that I think your father is the best martial artist   
out there, Son-sensei." 

"Thank you, Dawyer-san. I think the same thing." Gohan   
smiled. "Excuse me for a moment, class. I need to make a phone call."   
He nodded to his students and walked out the door, leaving the class   
to wonder about his abrupt absence. 

Gohan leaned up against the wall, and closed his eyes, focusing   
his senses on the multitude of different levels of ki signatures. He   
could feel the spikes of Goten and Vejiita as they fought; he picked   
out Pan's signature, alongside Bura. 'More than likely they were   
comforting the other.' Further away, he could sense the one signature   
that he wanted to find--his father. He concentrated, and spoke, using   
his ki voice. _Dad? What are you doing?_

After a moment, Goku replied back. _Well, I wanted to go watch_   
_the fight, but your mother isn't letting me go. She says hi. Where_   
_are you?_

_ I'm in a class._ Gohan smirked to himself. _And I think you'd_   
_find our topic interesting. Want to join in?_

_ Sure! That sounds a lot more fun than sitting here watching_   
_your mother fold laundry. Will it be upsetting to the class if I come,_   
_Gohan?_

_ Actually, I think they'd enjoy your input. _ 'It'd get most of   
their attention off me, at least.' _And better yet, give me a few_   
_minutes to get back in there to explain, and just teleport in._

_ That won't freak them out?_

_ Maybe, but I'll tell them to expect you. Are you coming?_

_ Sure, Gohan. If I can convince your mother to let me go, then_   
_I'll be there._

_ Okay, Dad, thanks. Give me a minute, and then pop in._

_ See you in a bit, Gohan._

Gohan opened his eyes and smirked. 'Won't the class get a kick   
out of this! Maybe I should have warned him about the topic…nah…'   
Gohan walked back into the room, and silence filled the room as all   
eyes became riveted to him. He sat on his desk and smiled to the   
group of students. "Well class, I have a surprise for you. In honor of   
Dawyer-san's topic choice, I just invited a guest to join us for the   
rest of class." 

"Who is it, Son-sensei?" Dawyer asked, intrigued. "Is it Mr.   
Satan?" 

Gohan smirked and shook his head. "No, it's not my father in   
law. He's rather…busy…taking care of his dojo, so I decided to invite   
someone else. But be prepared, he's going to …" Gohan trailed off, as   
his father materialized next to him. He smiled and shook his head.   
"He's going to arrive in an unusual way." 

A few gasps escaped the young mouths as Goku blinked a few   
times, taking in the audience. "Hi everyone." He turned to Gohan.   
"Was I too early?" 

"No, that's fine. Everyone, this is my father, Son Goku. Dad,   
this is my Current Events class." Goku waved at them, a big smile on   
his face. "If you want, you can sit here, Dad." 

"Okay." Goku sat down on the desk, next to Gohan. "So what's   
the topic you're talking about?" 

"Well, Dawyer-san," he pointed out the sandy-blonde male who   
was looking about to cry, "brought up the fact that next week is the   
35th anniversary of the Cell Games, so we were talking about that." 

"The Cell Games?" Goku blinked a few times, and he scratched   
his head. "But why did you want me to be here for this, Gohan? You   
were the one that killed Cell." Gohan clasped his hand to his head in   
frustration. 

The group of students let out a collective gasp. "Son-sensei   
killed Cell?" Dawyer stuttered. "But...but I thought it was Mr. Satan!" 

"No! It was Gohan." Goku beamed at his son, who still had his   
face in his hands. "Cell tried to blow up Chikyuu with a bomb inside   
him, so I teleported me and him to Kaiou-sama's planet; we both died,   
but Cell came back to life, killed Trunks and then Gohan killed Cell." 

The class blinked in shock at the news. "So…so…so it wasn't   
Mr. Satan, Son-sensei?" A girl spoke. 

Gohan sighed, and shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not." 

Dawyer blinked a few times. "But you were only eleven!" 

"Yes, eleven, and mad as hell at Cell. When using the   
techniques that we know, Dawyer-san, emotions such as rage and   
anger give us more power. And with Dad just sacrificing himself for   
no reason, because Cell survived, I was at the strongest I had ever   
been." He sighed and rubbed his temple. "Remember, I warned you.   
What you will learned today may seem wrong and completely   
unbelievable, but I want you all to know that it is all true, and there   
are no 'tricks' or anything of the sort." He stared at the class. "But,   
just to warn you, the rest of the world will not believe you if you   
speak of these ideas and facts. It is best kept within these walls." 

A girl raised her hand timidly. 'Son-sensei, can I ask your   
father a question?" Gohan glanced at Goku and he nodded. "Um,   
Son-san, you don't look dead?" 

Goku chuckled. "Well, I'm not." The class didn't know how to   
respond to that. 

"It's a very, very long story, one that we won't explain today.   
But, yes, he is alive now. And we'll leave it at that." Gohan sighed and   
shook his head. There were so many unbelievable back-histories to his   
life! He glanced over his shoulder when he felt something brush up   
against his arm. "Dad, watch it." 

Goku blinked. "What, Gohan?" 

Gohan spoke to his father's mind. _Hide your tail. We don't_   
_need to explain that one today, either._

He nodded and curled the brown tail around his waist. "Anyone   
else have a question?" 

Another student raised their hand. "I do! What's that furry   
thing that just went around your waist, Son-san? It wasn't there   
before." 

"Oh, that's just my tail." Goku said, without thinking, then put   
a hand over his mouth when he realized what he said. He gave his son   
an apologetic look. "Oops! Sorry, Gohan." 

"Oh, Dad!" 

********** 

The two golden Oozaru circled each other, Vejiita still holding   
on to the ball of ki in one hand. He smirked at the younger male, who   
was fighting to control his sanity. "You haven't transformed before,   
whelp. Only experienced fighters can use this technique! Give it up   
before I have to kill you to save this miserable mudball from your   
rage." He chuckled and let the ball of ki fly. "Maybe I won't, and will   
help you tear this dirtpile into shreds." 

Goten let out a growl, turning his beady red eyes to the ball of   
ki, flicking it away easily with a toss of his hand. "I...won't...let   
you...win...that easily...!" Goten threw his head back and let out a   
scream, his aura flashing blindingly, ki levels skyrocketing. 

And Goten started to shrink. 

When it was over, and the bright light faded, Vejiita was faced   
with glittering golden eyes as they bored into his red ones. Goten   
adjusted the blue sash around his waist and brushed off some   
imaginary lint from his fuchsia fur. The Prince grinned at the younger   
Saiya-jiin, his eyes taking in the more-advanced form. "I have to   
admit, spawn, you pulled the wool over my eyes. I did not think you   
had..." his motioned with a large paw to Goten's ascended form, "this   
in you. This just proves my earlier point, senshi." 

Before Vejiita, stood a glowing Super Saiya-jiin Goten, Level 4. 

Goten nodded, the thick black mane of spikes jarring slightly   
with the move. "I did not know if I would be able to make the final   
transition, since you were the only one that knows how to make the   
moon-ki, I was unable to try it out. But both my father and Gohan   
said I had the power to do so." He gave himself a cursory look-over.   
"When I remember you and Dad in this form, it looked even more   
bulky and muscled than Level 3, so I wasn't sure that it would be to my   
benefit." He curled an arm, gauging his own strength and limits, and   
after a moment nodded to himself. "But I think I can get used to it   
eventually. Although, fuchsia is not my favorite color." 

Vejiita grunted. "I prefer blue, myself, but I think the red   
suits me just fine." Goten turned his eyes forward when he heard   
Vejiita scream and watched with an interested eye as the older male   
started to shrink, taking in the changing parts and the growth of fur. 

The two Level 4 Saiya-jiin stared each other down, red into   
gold, watching, waiting, gauging the other in strengths and   
weaknesses, wondering what the outcome of the fight will end up   
being. But both knew what the end result will be: one winner, and one   
loser. It just needed to be decided to which warrior luck has turned   
her fickle favor. 

Both knew what needed to be done to accomplish it. 

Within the microsecond it takes for a solid blink of an eye, the   
two hyper-powered males rushed at each other and began to exchange   
in the deadly dance of fisticuffs, both not sparing an inch of precious   
power or skill to give the other an advantage. Their bodies became   
blurs of color as their pace went even beyond the speed of Saiya-jiin   
sight. Deafening, ear-shattering booms filled the air as their   
movements broke the sound barrier repeatedly. Their dance was one   
of pride and power--the one that has the most of both will determine   
the outcome, and be declared the winner. 

But what will be the cost? 

************ 

The two warriors broke apart, blood oozing from the numerous   
wounds that each inflicted upon the other. Both panted as they   
regained their breath from the frenzied activity. 

Goten rubbed a fist to his eye, wiping away the blood that kept   
spilling into his eyesight from a deep cut on his forehead. "Maybe you   
aren't so bad after all, old man. You got a few good hits in there." He   
winced inwardly as he took in a deep breath, gauging his wounds so far.   
'Few broken ribs, bruised kidney, and I think he shattered one of my   
kneecaps with his foot earlier.' 

Vejiita spit out a mouthful of blood, watching the globule land   
on the ground. He caught a flash of white enamel amongst the red.   
"Old man? You dare call your High Prince an old man? I have just   
struck the prime of my life! You are barely older than the sperm that   
created you." 

Goten blinked a few times. "How long is a Saiya-jiin's lifespan?" 

"It has never been measured. A Saiya-jiin does not 'get old'   
and wither away to a husk like the humans on this waterball," Vejiita   
sneered in contempt at the thought. "The oldest Saiya-jiin recorded   
in the history books was just entering his third Praa--which would be   
about three centuries Chikyuu time. My father, at the time of   
Vejiita-sei's explosion, was only halfway through his second Praa. And   
he was not considered an 'old man.'" 

Goten shook his head. "I don't think we halflings will live that   
long. Maybe still feel pretty good in our early 100's, but I think our   
human blood has compensated that trait." He studied the older male,   
and realized something. "What about Bulma? She's not getting any   
younger. When she dies, won't you, as well?" 

Vejiita smirked and nodded, his red tail thrashing once. "You   
are partially correct. If, and when she dies, I will join her, since we   
are Bonded. But that will not be for a long time. My life may be   
connected to hers, but hers is connected to mine, as well. When we   
Bonded, her life-force was linked to mine, which in turn gave her few   
latent Saiya-jiin characteristics, which includes an extended lifespan."   
He crossed his arms. "If you couldn't tell, she has not physically aged   
in several years." 

He paused for a second, glancing at Goten. "It is obvious that   
Bonding affects the spawn as well. Bura has more Saiya-jiin   
characteristics than Trunks. Same as with you." 

Goten thought about Vejiita's very revealing words. "So, you're   
saying that my Mom and Dad were Bonded when I was conceived,   
right? But wouldn't that be wrong? Dad died in the Cell   
Games--wouldn't Mom have died, as well?" 

He got a snort for a response. "Your father knew that there   
stood a high risk for death that day, and when he fucked your mother   
senseless creating you the night before, he transferred his Bond to   
you, so she would not die." Vejiita snorted again at the face Goten   
was making. "Stop imagining your parents in bed. You are the physical   
manifestation of their Bond, spawn, and leave it at that." 

He nodded slowly. "I guess it makes sense, if you don't think   
about it too hard." A thought occurred to him and he smirked at the   
older male. "So that means you and Bulma weren't Bonded when you   
'fucked her senseless'?" 

Vejiita ignored the barb, only growling a little under his breath.   
"Enough worthless chatter, boy. I thought you had something to do   
here today? You won't win my approval with talking." He jumped into   
the air, sliding into a tight attack stance. He narrowed his   
red-rimmed eyes at the other male. "It's time to finish this." 

Goten nodded and mimicked him. "And finish this I will." He   
yelled and launched himself at Vejiita, his fist aglow with ki. "I will   
accomplish what I set out to do today, Vejiita. I will prove myself to   
you, and claim Bura's soul, once and for all!" 

********** 

Trunks wandered through Capsule Corps, looking for his   
mother. He could feel the awesome ki readings far to the south, and   
wanted to let his mother know of the events going on, since she was   
unable to follow the fight herself. Going through the people-filled   
hallways, he finally sorted out his mother's ki, distinctive only because   
of his close proximity to her for so many years, and knew the low-level   
flicker by heart. He zeroed in on her--she was in the living   
quarters--her and his father's bedroom to be exact. 

He knocked on the solid door, his sensitive ears pricked for any   
recognizable sound. "Mom? Are you in there? It's me, Trunks. I   
have something to tell you." 

After a moment, the door unlocked, sliding open to reveal the   
interior sitting room. He walked in, curious that she didn't greet him   
personally. "Mom?" He followed her ki into the next room, and found   
her sitting on a small couch out on the balcony, wrapped up in a   
blanket. She was staring off into the distance, one hand resting on   
her shoulder. "Mom? What are you doing out here? And why are you   
covered up? It's a warm day." 

"I felt cold, Trunks." Her voice was quiet as she stared   
unblinkingly out into the horizon. 

He followed her gaze and saw nothing of importance in her   
field of vision. "What are you looking at?" 

"Nothing in particular." She tore her eyes off the horizon to   
fasten them on her son. "What did you want to tell me?" 

"Hmm? Well, I just wanted to let you know..." Trunks had been   
staring at the scenery as well, and when he turned back to his mother   
he lost his train of thought. "What happened to you?" 

Bulma blinked sadly, her red eyes refocusing on the horizon.   
"Your father, is what happened to me. He's fighting Goten for Bura,   
isn't he?" 

"How did you know? How did your eyes...?" Trunks was   
flabbergasted by the image of his mother. Her eyes had turned from   
the cerulean blue he inherited from her to a blood red, and a forelock   
of her lavender hair, which usually was kept on the shorter side, hung   
over her face and had turned a glossy ebony. 

She waved a hand at him, and Trunks now saw that the scar   
that marked the crook of her shoulder and neck was a bright red, the   
twin holes each leaked a drop of blood. "It's a side-effect of the   
Bond we share, Trunks. Right now, he's a Level 4, is he not?" Trunks   
slowly nodded, reaching out a hand to touch her neck. Bulma just   
swatted his hand away. "Don't touch. I've always been affected by his   
changes, although it's a little more obvious at the moment. Usually the   
Mark just flares a little, reminding me it's there, and my eyes turn a   
little green. When he goes Level 3 I get a long lock of blonde hair   
over my eyes." She twirled the black hair around a finger. "But when   
he goes Level 4, he's expending a large amount of ki, and it washes   
over me, as well." 

"Does Dad know about these...affects?" 

She nodded and slid over a little, letting Trunks sit down by   
her on the small couch. He did, and she leaned onto him. "Yes, he   
does. The affects don't wear off until a few hours after he's gone   
back to normal, so he usually sees them if he comes home right away."   
She snorted and shook her head, the black lock of hair waving with   
her movement. "I told him he can't find a Level 5--who knows what   
might happen to me then. I just might grow a tail, or something." 

Trunks chuckled and wrapped his own tail around her wrist,   
giving his mother an affectionate squeeze. "I think you'd look good   
with a tail, Mom." 

"Your father thinks the same way. I think it's the Saiya-jiin   
hormones." She petted the furred appendage around her wrist, and   
received a throaty purr from her eldest child. 

"Mom..." he blushed, squirming a little, but enjoying the   
attention to the sensitive tail. 

She chuckled and stopped, patting his chest. "Don't worry,   
Trunks. I know exactly what it feels like. Well, not exactly, but I   
know what you think it feels like. Your father melts into a puddle of   
goo when I stroke his tail." 

"Mom! I really don't need to hear that..." 

She chuckled again. "Sorry, Trunks. So tell me what's going on   
out there. I may know that he's fighting, but that's about the extent   
of it." 

"Well, the fight's really intense, as far as I can tell. Both Dad   
and Goten are giving it all they got. And it feels like Goten is at Level   
4 as well. Surprised the hell out of me when I felt it. I didn't know   
he was that strong, yet. Maybe Level 3, but not all the way to 4." 

"Gohan said that Goten had been training in secret with him   
and Goku, preparing for the Mating Challenge," Bulma said. "He is   
deadly serious about Bura." 

Trunks nodded somberly. "Let's hope that the 'deadly' part   
doesn't come into play." Bulma sighed and nodded in agreement. 

*********** 

Goten gritted in pain as he reeled back from the blow to his   
already broken ribcage, which Vejiita was taking full advantage of. He   
barely was able to avoid the uppercut, instead taking the ki-laden fist   
in the shoulder. "Come on, old man...give it all you got..." He growled   
as he flipped over his opponent, and kicked out, striking Vejiita right   
above the tail. 

A bellow of pain escaped the Saiya-jiin Prince as he tucked and   
rolled, springing up into a ready stance. "Damn it, boy!" He roared and   
launched a multitude of small ki balls at the still-floating Goten.   
"Gallic Gun!" 

Goten quickly shielded himself with his arms as the small but   
potent balls of ki exploded around him. He spun out with a foot,   
connecting with the leg of Vejiita, who attempted an attack under the   
protection of his own ki. He smirked as he heard the tell-tale sound   
of a bone cracking. 

The two fighters pushed away from the other, taking in the   
other's condition. Goten eyed Vejiita's left leg, watching it dangle in   
the air, useless. He smirked at the older male. "Well? Have I proven   
myself yet, Ouji? Am I worthy enough of your daughter?" 

The Prince snarled, a feral look entering his red eyes. "Never!   
I will not let a third class gaki Bond with my blood! You will have to   
kill me first!" He roared and launched himself at Goten once again,   
aura blinding in its intensity. 

Goten roared in response, and retaliated with a swift slice of   
his elbow, jabbing deep into the underbelly of the charging Vejiita.   
He hissed into his ear, "Admit it Vejiita! I Am Worthy! There is no   
class here! I am the perfect match for your daughter!" 

Vejiita growled under his breath, "The Saiya-jiin no Ouji never   
admits to anyone, anything." He wrapped his hands around Goten's   
bicep. "And I will never submit to you!" He screamed and let loose his   
energy, letting it surround his hands, which were wrapped tight   
around Goten's bicep. 

The young warrior howled in pain as he felt the skin being   
literally burned off his arm. He broke free of the Prince's grip and   
pushed himself back. "It's now or never, Vejiita. Bura will be mine! I   
will end this one way or the other...now!!!" 

He brought his hands to his side, a hiss escaping through his   
lips as he moved his damaged arm. He let his right arm dangle and   
made the needed motions with his left. "Kame hame..." The glowing   
ball of ki from his family's signature attack burned bright in the palm   
of his one good hand. 

Vejiita swore out loud and slammed his wrists together, his   
palms facing his opponent. "So be it! Final..." A glaring white light   
exploded around his hands, as he too called forth his power, matching   
Goten in strength. 

The young warrior grimaced at the power he controlled, and   
with a whispered prayer to Bura, he let loose the ball of accumulated   
ki: _I love you, Bura..._

"HA!" 

Vejiita saw the release and grunted, pushing with his entire   
body the power he held in his hands. _I'm sorry, Oujoko._

"FLASH!" 

********* 

In the air, Bura and Pan were silent as they flew towards   
Capsule Corp, both watching with their ki senses the titanic battle.   
With every spike or drop of Goten's ki, Pan watched Bura flinch or   
react in some way. Knowing how hard this battle was on her friend   
and potential aunt, she remained quiet in her commentary, knowing   
words were useless at the moment. She could only offer her silent   
support. 

Soon, they arrived at the large domed building, touching down   
on the balcony where Trunks and Bulma were still sitting. Bura set   
down her bags. "Hi, Trunks, Mama." Her voice hitched in her throat. 

Bulma sat up and opened her arms. "Oh, my baby girl..." 

Bura let out a choked sob and fell into her mother's arms,   
weeping openly. "Why does this have to happen, Mama? Why do they   
have to kill each other over me?" 

The older woman just made soft noises into the younger   
female's hair, rubbing her back in sympathy. "Shush, baby girl, there's   
no reason for such a finality as death. They're just going to beat each   
other up a bit, and then we can start to plan a big wedding for you and   
Goten. They're just playing, 'My Ki's Bigger than Yours.' You know   
Saiya-jiin males and their macho crap." Trunks just snorted, crossing   
his arms in a huff. 

Bura chuckled weakly, her sobs getting lighter. "Macho crap.   
Good one, Mama." 

The four sat in silence for a while, Bulma whispering calming   
words to her daughter every time she would flinch or jump in response   
to the fight. They were all lost in their own little worlds, so when   
Goku and Gohan materialized in front of them without warning, all four   
let out a yell in surprise. 

Pan recovered first. "Grampa! Papa! Don't do that!!" 

Gohan pushed his father's shoulder. "I told you we should have   
called first!" He rolled his eyes at the shrug of indifference his   
father made, and went to go sit next to Pan, who was balancing on the   
railing of the balcony. "How's it going, Pan-chan?" 

She leaned onto her father and sighed when his strong arms   
wrapped around her. "Fine enough, I guess." She looked up into his   
face. "Have you gone to see..." She trailed off and flicked a look to   
Bura, who was still lying in her mother's arms, her head buried in the   
older woman's chest. Trunks had wrapped a protective arm around   
both of the females in his life, and Pan couldn't help but feel a twang   
of jealousy in her heart. 

"No, we didn't want to disturb them," Gohan shook his head. "I   
just got done with a class and me and your Grampa came right over   
here." 

"What class was that, Gohan?" Bulma asked quietly, still   
stroking Bura's hair. "And what was Son-kun doing in it?" 

"I had a Current Events seminar. And you really don't want to   
know..." He threw a glare over at his father, who just gave him an   
embarrassed smile. "Hopefully, there will be no ill effects that come   
from it." 

Trunks blinked a few times. "What were you talking about?" 

Gohan sighed. "I have a martial arts buff in my class and he   
suggested the Cell Games." He nodded at the groans. "I thought so,   
too. But then he has the nerve to ask me to give my 'first-hand   
experience,' since I was there and all." He made a disgusted face. 

Bulma let out a gasp. "What? How did he know you were   
there?" 

"Dawyer is a smart kid," he admitted, "and he figured it out   
from the old tapes. So we got to talking, and when I left for a minute   
to talk to Dad here about the challenge going on, I invited him to come   
and give his input, as well." 

"Oh no, you didn't, Gohan!" 

He nodded somberly. "I did. And I think each and every one of   
those students is traumatized from now on. I'll never be able to teach   
that class normally again." He threw another glare at his father. 

Goku finally spoke, defending himself with a waved hand.   
"Don't blame me, Gohan! I didn't know it'd effect them so harshly." 

"I told you to hide your tail!" 

"I did! It's not my fault they saw me wrap it around my waist." 

"But you didn't have to blurt out that it was _your tail_!" Gohan   
huffed sourly. 

Pan giggled in her father's arms. "What happened, Papa?" 

He glared down at his daughter, only earning more giggles.   
"When we were talking about the Cell Games, since Dad blurted out,   
again, that I had defeated Cell, we had been honest with all our   
responses to their questions. So, we were honest about that, too." 

"You told them you were aliens?" Bulma sat up, astonished.   
"Gohan! What if some weird government agents come after you and   
want to dissect you, or deport you, or something?" 

"Hopefully nothing like that happens. I got their word, before   
we started talking, that everything said remained in the room, and not   
to be talked about outside the class." He ran a hand through his hair.   
"If something happens, well, we'll just take it one step at a time, ne?" 

"I don't think they'll tattle, Gohan," Goku reassured his   
first-born. "They seemed like nice kids, especially that one." 

"That's Dawyer, Dad, and he worshipped the ground you walked   
on." He rolled his eyes. "You could say he was your biggest fan." 

"I know! That's what made him so nice." Goku grinned.   
Everyone just groaned. 

_ I love you, Bura..._

Bura jerked in Bulma's lap, letting out a whimper. "Goten..." 

_I'm sorry, Oujoko._

Bura jerked again. "Papa...no..." 

Five sets of eyes swiveled and fixed upon the horizon, where a   
faint yellow glow could be seen. Pan sucked in a breath. "Wow..." 

Goku and Gohan exchanged serious looks as they realized that   
the fight was over. 

Trunks tightened his grip on his mother and sister, having   
heard his father's words as well. Bulma let out a gasp and turned to   
her son for confirmation of her fear. "That's them, isn't it?" The   
purple-haired male slowly nodded, his eyes clenched shut as he   
focused on the remaining ki, trying to see who had won...and who had   
lost. 

Bura let out a gasp, pushing herself away from her mother,   
ignoring the fact that she fell to the floor in the process. "Goten...Oh   
no...Goten!" A soul-searing scream ripped from the young female's   
throat as her ki levels skyrocketed, her aura flashing wildly out of   
control. Everyone made for cover when her eyes turned green and her   
hair burst into a flame of gold. 

"GOTEN!!" 

*********** 

_ The King of Zor, he called for a war_   
_ And the King of Zam, he answered._   
_ They fashioned their weapons_   
_ One upon one_   
_ Ton upon ton_   
_ They called for war at the rise of the sun._

_ Out went the call, to one and to all_   
_ That echoed and roared like the thunder_   
_ Trumpets and drums_   
_ Roar upon roar_   
_ More upon more._   
_ Rolling the call of "Come now to war."_

_ Throughout the night they fashioned their might_   
_ With right on the side of the mighty._   
_ They puzzled their minds_   
_ Plan upon plan_   
_ Man upon man_   
_ And at dying of dawn the great war began._

_ They met on the battlefield banner in hand._   
_ They looked out across the vacant land._   
_ And they counted the missing,_   
_ One upon one,_   
_ None upon none._   
_ The war it was over before it begun._

********** 

The barren wasteland was finally quiet, the only thing that   
moved were the dust clouds as they settled from the monstrous   
battle that took place there. 

A slow breeze gently caressed the two figures that lie on the   
ground, running her soft fingers through the stiff hair of each   
warrior, offering her healing touch to whichever one claimed it first.   
When neither figure responded, the wind went about on her way,   
unruffled by the rejection. 

After several moments in the calm of the afternoon, one figure   
stirred, his tail twitched slightly like a worm on a hook. Slowly, he   
turned his head, letting out a groan of pain for the small effort.   
After a moment, the warrior sat up and took in his surroundings. The   
battlefield looked completely different, especially when seen from the   
bottom of the crater he awoke. With great difficulty and pain, the   
male got up, favoring an arm and a leg and made his way out of the   
ki-created crater to survey the damage from a higher view. 

All he saw was devastation and destruction from his and his   
opponent's actions. Deep gorges carved out the pock-marked land as   
he watched the area with a swollen eye, searching for another life   
sign. He paused as he caught a trickle, and painfully dragged himself   
over to where he thought the other warrior lie, deep in his own crater. 

He was in no better shape than he--but at least he was awake   
and moving around. The male stumbled over a rock, and tumbled head   
over heels down the deep pit, coming to a stop a few feet from where   
the other warrior lie. He had no strength left to even throw up a   
barrier shield, so as he fell, the rocks dug into his flesh, ripping open   
wounds that had begun to scab over, making his blood run once more. 

But they were of no consequence, since they added no fresh   
pain to his already screaming body. He allowed a hiss of pain to   
escape when he finally sat up once again, clutching at his dangling arm.   
He moved to stand, remembering to favor his already injured leg, only   
to find that the fall had broken the other, and the warrior noted that   
the blood-drenched bone shined in the glimmering light. He let out a   
curse, and reaching out with his one good arm, he pulled himself   
across the dirt to be next to the other warrior. 

Leaning forward, he placed a ripped ear to the other male's   
chest, and after a moment, felt the tell-tale triple thump of the   
Saiya-jiin's heartbeat. But what he also heard was a sound that was   
not supposed to be there--the 'whooshing' of a punctured lung. But so   
were the injuries of war. 

The male sat up and stared at the still figure in front of him,   
taking in the hard lines made soft by his unconscious state. He shook   
his head and murmured to himself, "Only one can survive...it ends,   
now." He held up his bloodied and dirtied hand, and with few moment's   
effort, called upon the last remaining ki in his battered body. It   
wouldn't take much to stop the slow beat of the warrior's heart. The   
ki flickered across his fingers and he let his hand fall to the   
unconscious Saiya-jiin's chest. 

The male stared at his hand, the glowing fingers splayed across   
the pectorals of the warrior he had come to know over the years. A   
smile curled at his bleeding lips and he shook his head, letting his   
meager ki dissipate. Awkwardly, the Saiya-jiin reached out with a   
finger, and drew on the man's forehead and chest, using his own   
free-flowing blood to create the old and forgotten symbol. When the   
male woke up and saw it, he would know what it meant. 

Leaning forward, Vejiita whispered into Goten's ear. "Iwai no   
kotoba, senshi. You earned it...Ouji." 

************ 

_*sigh* Well!! How's that for a piece of work? I worked very *long* and very *hard* on this sucker, since I have the faintest idea on how to do battle scenes. Did the song make sense? I thought it was very fitting, for the moment. Next time...we get the aftershocks of the day's events...and then we get to party! Woohoo! I'm bringin' the lampshade! Gie-chan_

*iwai no kotoba--a very formal congratulations. 


	4. Let's Dance On

**When Love Comes Knockin' At Your Door**   
**by Gie: phowah@cs.com**

_Disclaimer: The characters within aren't mine, unless they are--then they're mine. Simple as that._   
_There are two songs included within: 'Any Man of Mine' is sung by Shania Twain, and 'Daddy's Money' is sung by Ricochet, Yes, I know, they're Country songs! I think they fit *soo* good, I couldn't help it. *grin* During the Ricochet song, the lyrics are altered slightly, so they fit better. But it's for the best, really. Although Vejiita wouldn't think so. *snort*_

_This is the last chapter, folks. And it is the *longest* I have ever typed. Ever. Just under 150k. So make sure you have a drink handy, and plenty of Puffs Plus, with aloe, of course. Don't wanna scratch up your cheeks when you're wiping away all the tears of laughter, ne? So please review when you are done. I would love to hear from you. I had a lot of fun writing this, and I can't believe it got so long and involved--from just a passing thought to this monstrosity. *grin* Oh well, I don't hear any complaints, ne? Enjoy! Gie-chan_   


**When Love Comes Knockin' At Your Door**   
** Chapter 4: Let's Dance On**   


Once again, the sky, wind, and sun were the only ones to bear   
witness to the epic battle that befell Chikyuu's war-torn soil. The   
elements looked on, sadly, at the damage caused by the warring males   
and sighed to themselves, as Chikyuu mourned the loss of another of   
her mountainous sceneries. But the destruction was not the   
forethought in the two males' minds as they lie on the hard,   
unforgiving ground. The first thought was their next breath, and the   
ability to take it… 

Vejiita wheezed as he pulled away from Goten, the younger   
warrior still unconscious. He glanced around and let out a sigh,   
realizing that in his condition he was not going to be able to make it   
out of the crater by himself. His two broken legs and arm were not   
going to be able to support his massive weight to stand, yet alone to   
crawl out of the deep crater his own ki had created. He glanced at   
Goten once more, frowning slightly. He couldn't tell what damage the   
young senshi had, but just on outer appearances, and the punctured   
lung he heard earlier, Goten was in as bad of shape as he. Plus, he was   
still unconscious. So he would be of no use in escaping the pit. 

Giving himself a push with his one good appendage, the Prince   
jerked his way across the dirt floor, slowly dragging his useless body   
to the opposite side of the hole. Panting, he collapsed against the   
wall; the little ki he had left barely gave him enough strength to   
breathe, so the few feet he traveled wore out his reserves. 

As he leaned back into the mud, not caring about the state of   
cleanliness, he stared at the immobile figure across the way. He   
didn't know what his daughter saw in the third class spawn. He looked   
exactly like his father, from the same annoying hairstyle to the same   
mannerism of speech--they were almost identical. And Bura knew that   
Kakarotto was his mortal enemy-his most hated rival for the position   
of most powerful in the universe. So to want to be near-mate   
even-with his spitting image was almost akin to treason in his mind. 

But he could not fault his daughter's heart. He could not tell   
her whom to love. If they were meant to be with each other…then so   
be it. If she was meant to…bond…with Kakarotto's spawn, there was   
nothing that he could do to dissuade her. He shuddered at the thought.   
Bura had the combination of his fierce tenacity when focused on   
something or someone, and her mother's steel-lined temper. Either one   
was vicious in itself; a combination was deadly for the one that dared   
defy his Oujoko. He had seen the result borne unto Trunks when he had   
tried to strong-arm her. He learned the hard way to never hide her   
favorite doll again. 

Closing his eyes he sent out his ki senses, trying to track down   
his ornery female of a mate, and was not surprised to find everyone   
who had a slight stake in the battle to be surrounding her. He felt   
hers, intermixed slightly with his own-an after affect of him being at   
Level 4. Trunks was there, as well, and for some reason he was at   
Level 1--although his ki seemed to be laced with worry--be it for him   
and Goten, or someone else, he could not tell. Kakarotto, his first   
spawn, and the spitfire of a female Saiya-jiin, Pan, were there as well.   
But he opened his eyes when he felt the last ki level-it was Bura, and   
it was over a hundred times higher than she had ever been. 

He opened his eyes and let himself grin. So she finally broke   
the barrier--he was wondering when his daughter would get the proper   
motivation to ascend to the Golden level status. It had taken her so   
long, he wasn't sure if females could make the transition, and had just   
about given up hope. 

He closed his eyes once more and concentrated on the mix of   
his and his mate's ki, puny as it was, it was burned into his soul and he   
could pick it up anywhere on the world--maybe extending throughout   
the solar system. He focused and sent a message to her, via their   
Bond: 

_ Onna, what in the hell is going on?_

******** 

*Capsule Corp* 

Everyone was staring at the flashing Bura, eyes wide as they   
took in the golden glow that surrounding the howling female. Trunks   
stood up and slowly made his way over to his sister, squinting his eyes   
against the light. "Calm down, B-chan! Turn off the fireworks." 

"Goten!" She wailed loudly, her eyes wide with fear. "He's   
dead! I can't feel him anymore! Papa killed him! Goten!" 

"Calm down, Bura, calm down!" Trunks dropped to his knees and   
wrapped his arms around her, flaring himself to the first level so he   
would not be burned by the power she radiated. "You need to calm   
down or you'll burn yourself out!" 

"But Goten…" 

"Shh, shh, it's okay, B-chan, it's okay." He rocked her against   
his chest as she bawled into his shirt. After a few moments, her cries   
fell to sobs, and as she calmed so did her ki, her fair falling down her   
back in purple waves as she let go of the transformation. Trunks let   
his fall as well. "Are you better, Bura?" He ran a soothing hand over   
her head, pressing a cheek to her forehead. 

She sniffled a couple times, rubbing her nose in the fabric.   
"No." 

The others chuckled and made their way back to the balcony.   
Goku knelt next to Bura and put a hand on her shoulder. "Bura, look at   
me." 

The young female turned her head toward the elder male, her   
red-rimmed eyes blinking. "What?" 

He smiled kindly, wiping away a few tears off her cheeks. "He's   
not dead, Bura-chan." Everyone let out a gasp. 

"Son-kun! What are you saying! He's alive?" Bulma's red eyes   
narrowed dangerously. 

"Don't say that, Goku. He's your child! How can you think   
that?" Her face screwed up once more, ready to cry. "I can't feel   
him anymore, and I always could before! Even when he concealed his   
ki, I could still feel it." Her blue eyes flashed green in defiance. 

"Ah, Bura-chan, you just need to concentrate. Your emotions   
are getting in your way. Close your eyes and concentrate on him.   
You'll see." 

Bura glared at him, but Goku just smiled and nodded. She   
closed her eyes and was silent, searching out her potential mate's ki.   
Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, and she grunted in   
frustration. "I can't feel anything! It's like he's not there," she   
opened her eyes again and turned an accusing glare on the elder male,   
"or he's dead." 

He shook his head. "I thought you could feel him at any time,   
Bura-chan," he chuckled. "If I can feel him, why can't you?" 

Gohan cleared his throat. "Dad, do you really think he's still   
alive? I can't feel him, either." Trunks and Pan nodded in agreement. 

But Goku stuck to his claim. "Yes, I think he is. He's injured   
really bad, but he is alive." He turned his gaze to Bulma. "As is   
Vejiita." 

She let out a gasp. "He is?" Goku nodded. "But I thought only   
one could survive…" 

_ Onna, what in the hell is going on?_

"Vejiita!" All eyes turned to her as she closed her eyes.   
_Vejiita! Are you dead?_

_ Baka Onna, if I was dead, then I couldn't speak to you, ne?_

_ What happened out there? Is Goten okay? Is he dead?_

He sighed mentally and after a moment he spoke again. _Your_   
_future son in law is hurt, but alive. Thank you for your overwhelming_   
_concern for me._

_ Bakayaro. I know you are okay-are you?_

_ Che. As if the spawn of a third class idiot could take down the_   
_Saiya-jiin no Ouji. But a senzu bean would help the healing process._   
_The brat has a punctured lung._

"Mom? What's going on? What's Dad saying?" Trunks stared   
at his mother, trying to read the different expressions across her   
face. 

She opened her eyes and blinked a few times. "Well, your   
father is hurt, but alive, and Goten is…" 

Bura stood up, her eyes wild in excitement. "Goten! I felt him!   
He's alive!" 

"Didn't I tell you that already?" Goku teased her, a wide grin   
on his jovial features. 

"He's alive!" Bura was jumping up and down in joy. She threw   
her arms around Goku and squeezed tight. "Oh, he's alive!" 

Bulma smiled at the euphoric state of her daughter, and turned   
a serious look to Goku. "Vejiita says that Goten has a punctured lung,   
and needs a senzu immediately. I have a few in the medbay." 

Trunks stood. "I'll go get them." And he took off. 

"When he gets back, I'll teleport over there. Tell Vejiita I'll be   
on my way." Bulma nodded and closed her eyes again. 

_ Vejiita, Son-kun will teleport to you with a couple senzu as soon_   
_as Trunks fetches them from the medbay. Can you hang on for a_   
_minute or so?_

_ Of course, Onna, I'm not a weakling like the spawn here. At_   
_least I'm awake and conscious._

_ I know, I was just making sure. I see you didn't damage your_   
_ego any._ She paused a moment and continued again. _Thank you for not_   
_killing him, Vejiita. I knew you had it in you._

_ Che. Don't think because I didn't kill him that I didn't try. I_   
_just thought that if I had, then I would have to face Bura's wrath for_   
_the rest of my days. She takes after you in that way._

_ Whatever, you baka. So, did that son in law comment mean_   
_that Bura and Goten can get married or mate or whatever you want to_   
_call it?_

_ If she accepts him…then yes._ Bulma could detect a grumbling   
in her mind. _ I wouldn't have been able to stop her if she wanted to_   
_anyway._

Bulma smiled and shook her head. _No, you wouldn't have. But_   
_at least you admit it. It's a step in the right direction. Trunks is back_   
_with the senzu, so Goku'll be there in a minute. You did good today,_   
_Vejiita. I'm proud of you._

_ Whatever, Onna. Just tell Kakarotto to hurry up with those_   
_damn beans._

_ Okay, see you in a few minutes. I love you._

_ If you say so, Onna._

Bulma opened her eyes, a small smile curling at her lips. "He's   
as ornery as ever, Goku, so be careful." 

"Ah, I've dealt with his temper before, Bulma, so that's no big   
problem." He tossed the small sack of healing senzu in his hands.   
"These should improve his outlook some. Ja!" He put two fingers to   
his forehead and prepared to teleport. 

"Wait! I'm coming too." Bura jumped up and wrapped her arms   
around Goku's arm. 

"Are you sure you want to go, Bura-chan? Goten and your   
father are more than likely very beat up." Goku stared down at her. 

She returned the stare. "You're gonna try and keep me away   
from him?" 

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I guess   
not. Let's go, Daughter." He furrowed his brows in concentration,   
Bura blushed at the new name, and the pair disappeared. 

The four people that remained on the balcony blinked at each   
other. "Daughter?" 

Gohan nodded his head slowly. "Well, it'll be true when she and   
Goten mate. I guess Dad considers her his daughter already." 

Pan sighed and gave her father a long stare. "Promise me,   
Papa." 

"Promise you what, Pan-chan?" Gohan blinked down at his own   
daughter in confusion. 

"Promise me that you won't fight my boyfriends to the death."   
She stared at him seriously. 

He smiled and gave her a hug. "Of course I won't, Pan-chan. I   
wouldn't let a normal human have to fight me. If I did, they would not   
survive." He chuckled when she hugged him back. "Now, it'd be a   
different situation if he could handle it. Honor demands that he   
prove himself able to protect you." 

"Papa!" She glanced at Trunks out of the corner of her eye and   
saw he had turned pale. "I can take care of myself!" 

"Of course you can, Pan-chan," he cooed at her, "but that's   
beside the point. If he can protect you, he needs to prove it to me   
before I hand over my daughter's soul." 

Pan sighed and shook her head. "What is it with you guys?" 

Bulma chuckled at the younger girl. "I try not to think about it   
too much, Pan-chan. Saiya-jiin will be Saiya-jiin, ne?" 

"I guess. But Bulma," Pan said, turning a curious gaze to the   
older female, "what's with the red contacts? And the lock of black   
hair?" 

******* 

Bura and Goku materialized in the middle of the crater and the   
female Saiya-jiin blinked a few times, scanning the surroundings.   
"Goten!" Bura squealed and ran over to him, crouching next to his still   
form. "Goten! Wake up!" 

Goku chuckled and turned to Vejiita, and scrutinized the older   
Saiya-jiin's condition. "Wow, you sure did a number on each other, ne?   
It looks like you both have some serious injuries." 

Vejiita snorted and turned his nose away from the younger   
male. "They're just flesh wounds. It's not like your spawn could injure   
the Saiya-jiin no Ouji in any fashion." He caught the senzu bean in his   
good hand and put it in his mouth, chewing on the healing legume. He   
nodded to Bura, who was still trying to revive Goten into the land of   
the living. "Why did you bring her along?" He let out a small sigh   
when he felt the bean's magic taking affect. 

"She wasn't going to let me leave without her. Would you want   
to say no?" He held out a hand, and to his surprise, Vejiita accepted   
it, using him to bring him into a standing position. 

"As if you could." The prince shook out his once broken arm   
and legs, feeling the bones knit together and the wounds close on   
their own accord. "Your brat has a lot of potential." He admitted   
grudgingly. "He went Level 4." 

"I knew he had it in him. He just needed the proper   
motivation." Goku nodded his head at the couple. "Bura also made the   
jump when she thought Goten had died." The two males made their   
way over to the other end of the hole. 

Vejiita nodded. "I felt it. Took her long enough." 

Bura turned around when she heard them come close. "Papa!   
He won't wake up." Tears shone in her eyes. 

Goku handed her the senzu. "Since he's not conscious, he can't   
chew it on his own, daughter." Vejiita turned a startled eye to the   
taller male, but said nothing. "You need to help him." 

She took it and nodded. "Okay." She placed it in her mouth   
and chewed the hard bean, making it into a paste with her own saliva.   
She knelt down next to him once again, and placed her mouth on his,   
forcing his slack lips apart with her tongue and placed the healing   
paste on the back of his tongue. She rubbed his throat, coaxing him   
to swallow. 

After a moment, she felt a muscle twitch under her, and when   
she withdrew, he sucked in a deep breath, his eyes opening wide in   
shock. "Ahhhh!!" 

"Goten!" Bura gasped, leaning close to him. "Are you okay?" 

"Bur…Bura?" He blinked a few times, focusing on the female   
hovering inches over him. "Am I dead?" 

She smiled and shook her head, tears starting to spill down her   
cheeks. "No, you dummy, you're not dead." She brushed away a lock   
of hair from his forehead, sticky with blood. "You're very much alive."   
She gazed fondly at him, but blinked a few times, realizing there was   
a pattern to the blood on his face. "Papa, this is...this is..." She   
turned a wondering gaze to her father, hope very much evident in her   
eyes. "This is the seal..." 

Vejiita grunted, nodding his head slightly. "It is, Bura." 

Goten began to stand up when he heard Vejiita's voice, Bura   
helping him. "Papa, does that mean..." She noted the same symbol on   
Goten's chest, and traced a finger over it. "Does that mean that he..." 

Vejiita interrupted her. "It means what it means, Bura." He   
turned black eyes to Goten, who seemed a little wobbly on his feet.   
"What do you think it means, senshi?" 

Goten blinked and looked down at his chest, and saw the   
intricately designed symbol drawn in blood. "This is the same design   
as your tattoo, Bura." He blinked at her, and she nodded, her smile   
growing wider. "Then that would..." he turned questioning eyes to   
Vejiita. "You accept?" 

Everyone turned an anxious glance to the silent Prince, who just   
stared at Goten with piercing eyes. "Your performance today was   
lacking, senshi. I expected to die on this field today, and yet I still   
stand." He turned around and faced the other wall. "I expect you to   
strive higher the next time we spar, Ouji." 

"Papa!" Bura jumped onto Vejiita's back, causing the elder male   
to bend slightly under the momentum. "I love you, Papa!" She wrapped   
her arms around his neck, and her legs around his waist, her tail   
wrapping around his own affectionately. "Thank you, thank you, thank   
you!" 

Goten limped over to his father, and both stared at the father   
and daughter pair. "So, did he accept it?" 

Goku laughed. "I think so, Goten. He called you a prince, ne?" 

"I guess so." He rubbed his hand over his chest unconsciously.   
"Say, Dad, do you have any more senzu? My wounds are healed, but   
I'm still really sore." 

He shook his head. "No, Bulma only had two, and I don't have   
any on me, either. You'll just have to do it the normal way." 

"Okay, I guess," he nodded and let out a gasp when Bura made a   
running leap onto him, knocking them both on the ground. "Hey!   
Watch it, B-chan, I'm still really sore." 

"Well, Nurse B-chan is here to help her poor, injured G-chan,   
ne?" She grinned down at him. He laughed back up at her. "The first   
thing we have to do is give you a bath. You stink like an over ripe   
garbage heap, mister! Phew!" 

He nodded, smiling up at his future mate. "A bath it is, then.   
Let's see if I have enough ki to do this yet, ne?" He winked at her and   
wrapping his tail around her waist, he put two fingers to his head and   
both disappeared, leaving the sound of Bura's surprised yelp in the air   
behind. 

Goku sighed and shook his head. "Kids these days." He turned   
to Vejiita, who had his arms crossed, an impatient look on his face.   
"Ready to go back?" 

He nodded, rolling his eyes. "For a while, baka." 

"Right. But before we go, I just wanted to say thanks, Vejiita.   
I know you had the chance to finish the fight," he held up a hand to   
stop the Prince's refusal. Vejiita frowned, but didn't say anything. "I   
know you could have finished it, but you didn't. And I wanted to just   
thank you. You showed you truly are the High Prince." He smiled and   
placed a warm hand on the other's shoulder. "Welcome to the family,   
Ouji-sama." Lifting two fingers to his forehead, the pair disappeared. 

******** 

Gohan, Trunks, Bulma and Pan were chatting rather amicably   
when Goten and Bura popped in, Bura finishing off her scream. "When   
did you learn that? I need warning, baka!" She beat him on the chest,   
and got up from the floor where they had reappeared, and stalked   
inside. 

"Goten!" Bulma exclaimed, getting up to check on the still lying   
male. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, I'm fine, Bulma," he reassured her, and slowly stood up.   
"I'm a little sore yet, but okay." He returned the hug he got from her,   
and gave the others a grin. "I'm okay." 

"You look like a truck ran you over," Trunks remarked, giving   
his best friend a wry grin. "Now you know how it feels when Dad goes   
all out on ya." 

"Yeah, lucky me." He shuffled to the side and turned to face   
Vejiita and Goku, who appeared in the same spot that he stood only a   
moment before. 

"Goten, get your mangy tail in here right now before you smell   
up the entire Western Capital! My nose can detect your reek from all   
the way down the hall." 

He let out a small chuckle. "I'm coming, I'm coming," he called   
back. He gave Trunks another grin and slowly walked inside. 

But not fast enough for Bura. She walked up to him and shook   
her head. "You walk slow enough to start growing toadstools in the   
garden of dirt you have on you." 

"But, B-chan," he whined, "gimme a break! I almost died!" 

"So did Papa, and do you see him hobbling around like an old   
man?" She pointed to her father, who was being fussed over by   
Bulma. The two males locked onyx eyes, and Goten grinned, giving the   
elder male a nod. "Get your lazy ass in gear, buster!" 

"Okay, okay! I'm coming. Don't get your tail in a knot." He   
leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. "Although I could help you   
untangle it if it did..." 

Bura blushed a little and flicked her gaze to her father, rolling   
her eyes. "You are one big walking hormone, Son Goten! I don't know   
what I see in you." 

"I don't either, B-chan," he grinned and pecked her lips. "I   
don't either. But you have me." He winked and walked through the   
doors. 

Bura let out another little sigh and shook her head. "You   
should've just killed him, Papa. Now I have to deal with his big head."   
She threw a grin at her father, and followed Goten out the doors. 

Vejiita blinked a few times, shaking his head. "I will never   
understand her, will I?" 

Bulma shook her head. "Nope. Don't even try." 

"And you never will, Vejiita. It's the mysteriousness of the   
female that attracts the male." Gohan grinned and stood up.   
"Speaking of females, we better get going, Pan-chan. Your mother is   
more than likely wondering where we are." 

"I'll take you two home, Gohan," Goku offered. He turned to   
Bulma. "ChiChi wanted to know if the party is still being held   
tomorrow night, Bulma." 

"As far as I know, Son-kun, it is," Bulma nodded, the black lock   
of hair bobbing up and down. "I'll give her a call later on, okay?" 

He nodded, and Gohan and Pan reached out to touch the elder   
male. "Okay, see you later!" The other two waved, with Pan calling out   
a promise to call Bura later as well before the trio disappeared. 

Trunks turned to his parents. "So, how was the fight, Dad?   
Did Goten really go Level 4?" 

"Yes, he did." Vejiita grunted and turned a frown to his eldest.   
"You have a lot of training to do to catch up with him. I will not have   
third class spawn be stronger than my own. Be in the gravity room at   
five tomorrow morning." 

"Five?! Dad!" Trunks gaped at his father. "That's too early!" 

"No it isn't, brat, and if you keep complaining, it'll be made   
four." 

"Damn, Papa." Trunks growled and stood up, his tail thrashing   
behind in frustration and anger. He flashed his father an evil glare   
and stomped out of his parents' rooms, grumbling to himself. "You'd   
think he'd want to rest after almost dying this afternoon, but   
nooo...punish me for Goten's overactive hormones..." 

Bulma sighed and sat back down on the couch, rubbing at her   
forehead wearily. "Don't you think five is a little early, Vejiita?" She   
patted the seat next to her. 

He sat down and Bulma curled into his side, ignoring his state   
of dress and cleanliness. "He won't make it out there, at the earliest,   
until six." He rumbled, pulling his mate closer to him, nuzzling the   
lavender hair that fell against his cheek. He reached out and   
fingered the long black lock that looked completely out of place   
against the other purple ones. "You reacted, again." 

She nodded against his bare and bloodied chest, her reply   
sounding slightly muffled. "Yeah. My scar started to bleed, too." 

Vejiita's fingers sought out the familiar mark and came away   
with drying blood on the tips. He put them to his mouth and licked   
them clean, enjoying the taste of the slightly metallic flavor. A   
rumble went through his chest and using the same fingers, he tipped   
Bulma's head up, so he could look into her red eyes, alight with   
confusion, concern, and love. He grinned and leaned down to capture   
her lips with his own. 

When they broke away, her cheeks matched her eyes in   
intensity. She gave him a wicked grin. "Aren't you a frisky one! You   
think you're up to it, after the events of the afternoon?" She poked   
him in the chest, and licked away the blood from her fingers. 

He pulled her closer and stood up, holding her to his chest in   
his embrace. "I am always 'up to it', Onna, you know that." They   
walked into their bedroom, and he set her down on the bed. 

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You're not getting my   
clean sheets all bloody, buster. Bath first, then playtime." 

"A bath then," he leaned closer to her and flicked his tongue   
over her cheek, cleaning away a smudge of blood, a result of her   
leaning on him. "It looks like you need to take your own advice, Onna,   
ne?" He turned around and walked into their bathroom, tail curling   
slowly behind him. Soon the sound of water filling up their large furo   
could be heard. 

The lavender haired genius sighed and shook her head. "He's   
always so horny after a good fight. You'd think he'd want to eat and   
then go to bed." She stood and started to take off her bloodied   
clothes, throwing them in the hamper. 

"I plan on doing just that, Onna, after the bath." He called out   
from the other room. 

"Damn Saiya-jiin hearing," she grumbled and entered the bath,   
closing the door behind her. 

******** 

The next day dawned early for several members of the Briefs   
household, and Vejiita was surprised when Trunks arrived in the   
Gravity Chamber at a little after five in the morning. The young male   
was grumpier than ever, being not much of a morning person. Vejiita   
was reminded that his first born was more like his mother than ever. 

Bura was awakened earlier than she wanted when an   
unidentified body jumped on her bed. "Wake up, sleepyhead! It's your   
birthday...sort of." 

"Ungh." She peeked out a blurry blue eye from under the   
covers to see a very awake Pan grinning at her with the smile she   
inherited from her father's side. "What in the hell are you doing here   
at," she glanced at the clock on her night stand, "ten in the morning?" 

"Well," Pan sat on the bed, cross-legged, "since we never really   
celebrated your birthday last week, I thought we could do a little girly   
stuff today, to get ready for your party tonight." 

Bura sat up a bit, blinking her eyes in shock. "P-chan? Did you   
just say 'girly stuff'? Did Hell just freeze over?" 

"No, it didn't," she rolled her eyes, "and don't call me P-chan.   
I'm not a little black pig." 

"You eat like one," mumbled a masculine voice from the other   
end of the bed. 

Pan blinked a few times. "Uncle? What are you doing in here?" 

"I was trying to sleep away my aches and pains, but since I was   
so rudely awakened by someone sitting on my tail," Goten poked his   
tousled head from out under the blankets and gave his niece a   
meaningful glare. 

"Your tail? What's it doing on this end of…" she trailed off, a   
hot blush spreading across her face. "I think I'm gonna go see what's   
going on in the Gravity chamber." She bolted out of the room. 

Bura sighed and fell back onto her pillows. "Damn, I was hoping   
I could've slept in today." She let out a contented purr when a   
muscled arm pulled her farther under the covers, a furry tail brushing   
over her stomach. "Mmm…although I could think of a few things to do   
while I'm awake." 

"Oh, like what?" Goten murmured in her ear, pulling his   
bed-mate closer to him and snuggling close. 

"Well, I could take a long bubble bath, since I smell like   
Goten-sweat, which is always not a pleasant thing, mind you." She   
received a grunt in response to her barb. "Or I could decide what you   
are going to wear tonight. Do you have anything decent in purple?" 

"Goten?" When she didn't receive a response, she peeked   
under the blankets. What she found was a fast-asleep Goten, head   
resting comfortably on her chest, his arm wrapped around her middle,   
holding her tight to him. His tail had wrapped loosely around her calf. 

She sighed and ran her long fingers through his mussed hair   
absently, her blue eyes staring at the ceiling as she thought about the   
male sleeping on her. She almost lost him yesterday, in the fight with   
her father. All over her. She didn't want them to do it in the first   
place, and threw a major tantrum when her father announced his   
terms for their 'courting' as he called it. She didn't mind the training,   
since it kept both Goten and her father occupied-and maybe they   
would draw a little closer, or grow to understand the other. Goten   
actually liked her father--he had thought of him as a father figure   
when he was younger, playing and sparring with Trunks. Goten,   
though, reminds her stubborn father of 'Kakarotto' too much, and   
there was the whole rivalry issue there. So she didn't mind the   
sparring--it was beneficial to her, too, since it kept her father's   
attention off her, as well. 

But she protested loudly when her father said that Goten   
would have to fight for her. It sounded…medieval! She was not a   
'thing' to be fought over--a prize to be won. But her father was   
adamant, claiming that it was Saiya-jiin tradition. She whined and   
pleaded, flashing her big blue eyes, even going so far to promise   
training time with him. But no, he wouldn't submit. She then switched   
tactics, threatening to run away and elope with Goten. All her father   
did was give her an annoying smirk and claim that she wouldn't   
dare--and if she did, he'd drag her back home by the hair on her tail.   
She then threatened to hate him forever, and that seemed to break   
his stubborn resolve a little, but he continued to hold firm to what he   
wanted. 

So after a few weeks of ignoring him and sending scalding   
glares in his direction, she relented to the terms, but only adding her   
own: whatever they do during their 'courting,' he could not get upset   
or angry about, and try to break them apart. He blinked in surprise at   
her request, but agreed after a minute of contemplating. So when he   
found out about her and Goten advancing their relationship to the   
point of 'intimacy,' he ranted and raved in the privacy of his own mind.   
The only public reaction they got from him was a couple of glares at   
the breakfast table. 

But it wasn't like they couldn't tell when he and her mother   
were involved in their own…activities…such as last night. She giggled   
to herself. Trunks was the only one that wasn't involved with anyone   
last night. "Poor thing. He has to find himself a girl sometime soon."   
She smiled down at the mass of black spikes on her chest when Goten   
stirred slightly, burying his face even more into her softness. She   
sighed and wrapped her arms around his head. "You won me, Son   
Goten; now, when are you going to propose?" She closed her eyes, and   
took advantage of the silence of the morning to catch a few more   
minutes of sleep while she could. 

A small smile curled at the young male's lips, and he clutched   
the female even closer. _Just you wait, B-chan…just you wait._

******* 

There weren't enough hours left in the day, at least for Bulma   
and Bura, as they were trying to organize the details for the party   
tonight at Jellies. Once Bura had roused Goten from his 'nap', she   
whisked him off to the closest mall, to get him the perfect outfit--at   
least in her opinion, since Goten would have been happy to go in   
nothing but a towel. 

Bulma was on the phone most of the day, confirming invites to   
family and friends, discussing with the caterers the very large menu   
that will be needed for seven very hungry Saiya-jiin and a handful of   
other guests. Finally, she called Jellies to make sure that she was   
still able to even have the party. She wasn't disappointed, for who   
would be insane enough to turn away The Bulma Briefs, and live to   
serve the next day? She was relieved to know that she would be able   
to have use of a back room, to set up the food from the rest of the   
club. 

But the most daunting task was to get the males of the   
household ready. Dr. Briefs could take care of himself, so Bulma   
wasn't worried about him. Goten was fairly well taken care of, since   
Bura didn't let him out of her sight. But the other two, Vejiita and   
Trunks, were harder to tame. The two males did not emerge from the   
Gravity Chamber for most of the day--Pan escaping only after an hour   
or so of observation. When they had finally come out, late in the   
afternoon, both shown signs of a hard day's battle, although Trunks   
was in worse shape than his father. Vejiita had a satisfied look to his   
face, so some good had to come from the day. 

Bulma and Bura left early to prepare Jellies for their arrival,   
so they left the three males to their own devices, hopefully to dress   
in the clothing set out for them, and to arrive on their own, and on   
time. The two females weren't disappointed much--they arrived via   
Goten's teleport only half hour late, and Trunks had switched the pair   
of pants set out by Bura with a different color. 

Bura greeted her boyfriend with a glare. "What took so long?   
You were supposed to be here a half hour ago!" 

He tugged at the tight black shirt he wore. "Me and Trunks   
were finishing a game of cards, when Trunks spilled a glass of juice on   
his pants. So he had to change." 

"Oooh! You two!" She admonished him, throwing her brother a   
glare over his shoulder. He just ignored her. She turned to her   
father. "You'd better find Mom--she's starting to see red." He rolled   
his eyes and ambled over to his mate, who was talking with the   
caterers. Bura grabbed Goten's hand and pulled him into the crowd.   
"Come on, I have to find Nia; she said that she needed to talk to me   
about something." 

"Why do I have to go? She's your friend," he whined, trying to   
get out of her iron grip. 

"She may be, but she's never really met you before, and I want   
to introduce you two, so stop complaining." The pair disappeared into   
the crowd, leaving Trunks alone. 

The purple-haired Saiya-jiin shrugged and made his way up to   
the bar, sitting on one of the stools. He signaled to the bartender and   
got himself a drink. "So, Thom," Trunks glanced at the man's nametag,   
"what're the big happenings tonight?" 

Thom, a good-looking man in his late twenties, shrugged. "A   
couple things tonight. There's a band in about an hour or so, and some   
hot rich chick rented out the back room for a birthday party." 

"A hot rich chick?" Trunks blinked a few times. 

The bartender nodded, winking at him. "Yeah, she's in this   
short little blue dress that leaves nothin' to the imagination." He   
stood up straighter. "Actually, here she comes now." 

"Thom, here's a list of the people I mentioned before." 

"Sure thing, Ms. Briefs. They get open bar, ne?" Thom glanced   
over the piece of paper, noting the forty or so names on it. 

"They'll have a red mark on their hands, too, so they'll be   
rather easy to spot." She held out her hand, showing the red marker   
on her hand. She turned to Trunks. "Here, you need yours, Trunks."   
She marked his hand with the red marker she held. 

"Okay, Mom." 

Bulma smiled and the two males watched as she made her way   
into the crowd once more. Trunks turned back to the bartender and   
watched with a knowing smirk as Thom let his words sink in. 

"Mom…mom? That's your mom!" Thom blinked a few times.   
"How old are you, kid?" 

"I'm thirty -six," Trunks smirked wider, "kid." 

"Holy crap! You don't look that old! Hell, your mother only   
looks that old!" Thom stared at him, flabbergasted. He turned to the   
male that just walked up to the bar and sat on the stool next to   
Trunks. "Tell me, mister, how old do you think this guy is?" He   
pointed to Trunks. 

The black-haired man snorted. "I don't care. Give me a beer." 

Trunks snorted back and shook his head. Thom put a pint on   
the counter and then pointed out on the floor. "Okay, man, then tell   
me how old do you think that purple haired hottie is out on the floor?"   
All three turned to see Bulma, who was still talking with one of the   
caterers. Trunks waved to his mother and Bulma nodded, coming back   
to the bar. 

The man growled under his breath and glared at him over the   
rim of his bottle. "That is none of your business." 

"Hey, man, chill out! I'm just looking, not touching." He winked   
and his growl turned into a snarl. 

Trunks shook his head. "Baka." 

"Vejiita, there you are! I need to get a mark on your hand."   
Bulma said, as she squeezed in between her two males. "Can I get a   
rum and coke? By the way, Thom, meet my husband, Vejiita." 

Thom blinked, and locked his startled green eyes with the   
frowning onyx orbs of Vejiita, and his face paled considerably. "Sure,   
Ms. Briefs, rum and coke." He hurriedly filled the glass and handed it   
to her. "There you go, Ms. Briefs." He swallowed hard but didn't take   
his eyes of Vejiita. 

"Thanks, Thom, you're a sweetie. So polite!" Bulma planted a   
kiss on Vejiita's cheek and tweaked Trunks' nose. "Why don't you boys   
join me out here? Son-kun keeps looking at the caterers with a weird   
look in his eye, and they're getting nervous." 

Vejiita grunted and slid off the stool. "Fine." He flashed Thom   
a meaningful glare and wrapped a possessive arm around Bulma's waist,   
his tail thrashing behind him agitatedly. 

Trunks let a chuckle escape as he shook his head at the frozen   
bartender. "You deserved that, man." He reached behind the bar and   
refilled his glass and slipped off his stool to go join the growing   
crowd. 

After a minute or so, Thom the bartender woke up from his   
stupor. "Did…did he have a…a tail?" 

******* 

The night was in full swing by the time the band had started,   
and the floor was crawling with thrashing bodies. Bura and Goten   
were never far apart, since she had latched onto his tail and wasn't   
letting go. At the moment, they were on the floor dancing to the   
rapid rock song that the band was pounding through their instruments. 

Most of the adults were in the back room, where the food was   
set up. The caterers had filled several tables with tons of food--most   
of the snack and 'grab & go' variety. There was always an employee   
not far from the tables, watching over the levels, and restocking if   
necessary. 

The four mothers: Bulma, ChiChi, Videl and Juuhachi were   
sitting at a table, nibbling on their own plates, chatting, and watching   
the activities on the floor with a distant eye. ChiChi almost choked   
on a cracker when she saw Bura wrap a leg around Goten's waist and   
grind her hips into his. "What are those two doing out there? It's so   
indecent!" 

Bulma laughed out loud. "It's called 'dirty dancing', ChiChi.   
Very sensual, ne?" She winked at Juuhachi, who just rolled her eyes. 

Videl stifled a few giggles. "I tried doing that once with   
Gohan, but he just blinked at me a few times and blushed like mad." 

"I bet he did." Bulma laughed again. "He's almost as prudish as   
you are, ChiChi. Let's hope he doesn't see what Pan-chan's doing out   
there. He'll throw a spasm." She pointed to the quarter Saiya-jiin,   
who was dancing rather closely with Trunks; both had wicked smiles on   
their faces. 

Videl gasped out loud. "Pan! What in the hell...Bulma, what is   
your son doing with my little girl?" She blinked a few times and   
peered at her daughter harder. "Is she wearing a dress?" 

"Umm...the tango?" Bulma shrugged, standing up. "Looks like a   
lot of fun, though. I'm going to the bar. Anyone want refills?" They   
all mentioned their drinks of choice, and Bulma left the room. 

ChiChi shook her head, her eyes on the young couples out on   
the floor. "Those kids just don't know how to dance anymore!" She   
swallowed the last of her drink just in time for Bulma to set down a   
new one in front of her. "Thank you, Bulma." She threw the entire   
thing down. "Like I was saying, kids these days don't know what real   
dancing is." The pupils of her eyes got wide and her gaze turned far   
away. "I always wanted to wear one of those beautifully long ball   
gowns, with all the petticoats and lace and such. And the man of my   
dreams to come up to me in a five piece suit, hold out his white-gloved   
hand, and say..." 

"Hey, ChiChi, wanna go dance?" Goku ran into the room, his   
eyes wide and a big, excited smile on his face. "They're going to play   
my favorite song!" He grabbed a hand and yanked her out onto the   
floor without so much a word from the black-haired female. 

Bulma and Videl turned to the other, each having a confused   
look. "Somehow I don't think that was what she was going to say,"   
Videl mused. "What song is Goku's favorite?" 

The three females were quiet for a moment, listening to the   
strain of music coming through the door. They all glanced at each   
other with knowing smiles when they recognized it. 

"The Chicken Dance!" 

Juuhachi sighed and shook her head. "Figures." She down the   
rest of her glass, and turned to the other two. "Now that the   
schoolmarm has left the room, do you ladies want to do shots at the   
bar?" 

"Oooh! I haven't done shots since college!" squealed Bulma,   
clapping her hands in excitement. She immediately stood up and   
grabbing the other two females' hands, she pulled them out the door   
and to the bar. 

Videl blinked in confusion. "Bulma, I thought you...how old were   
you when you graduated from college?" 

The genius jumped up onto the rim of the bar, her too-   
short-already dress riding up, and pulled the other two down into   
chairs surrounding her. "Well, it was before I met Son-kun, so...maybe   
15?" She turned her head over her shoulder. "Thom, sweetie, get us   
a round of tequila, and keep it flowing!" 

Thom turned around quickly and saw who it was, and nodded,   
glancing away quickly from the exposed thigh of the purple-haired   
woman. "Sure thing, Ms. Briefs." He set down the requested glasses   
and bottle and walked away quickly, a bright blush to his features. 

She poured the first round. "Here's to the guys! May they be   
strong and brave in battle and long and hard in bed!" Bulma threw   
back the glass and wiped her mouth. "Oi! That's good stuff!" 

Videl almost choked on her drink. "Bulma!" Juuhachi smirked   
and downed the burning liquid as well. 

"What?" She blinked, pouring the next round. "Come on, Videl,   
you've got a Saiya-jiin in your clutches! All Saiya-jiin are...built...for   
battle, be it on a field or under the covers." She leered at the   
younger female suggestively. 

"Well, sure, but..." she blushed, realizing what she revealed.   
She grabbed her glass and downed it quickly. "Oh, boy. Gohan's going   
to kill me for talking about this to you two." She shrugged. "Oh well." 

"That's my girl!" She quickly poured the third round. "Bottom's   
up, ladies!" 

The song ended and ChiChi strolled up to the bar where the   
others stood. "You're doing shots? Without me?" She took Videl's   
glass out of her hand and slammed it down. "Ooh, the good stuff!" 

Bulma blinked at ChiChi, already feeling the affects of several   
shots on top of the rum & cokes she drained earlier. She nodded to   
Thom to bring over another glass, and he slid it down the bar. Bulma   
grabbed it and poured another for Videl. "Here ya go, hon." She   
turned to ChiChi. "We're already three up on you, Chi. Gotta catch   
up!" 

She nodded. "All right. Let me find a..." a chair materialized   
behind her, courtesy of Thom. "Thank you, dear!" He blushed and   
went behind the bar. She turned to Bulma. "What a nice boy!" Bulma   
nodded in agreement. "Anyway, pour me another, Bulma. I got to get   
me a good buzz going if I want to stay sane listening to you tell me   
how bad your Vejiita beat up on my Goten yesterday." 

"My Vejiita?" Bulma blinked. "Your Goten crushed my Vejiita's   
leg! He said it was broken in three places!" 

"He deserved it, I tell you," ChiChi threw back another shot.   
"Since he was the one that wanted this to happen, he deserved to get   
roughened up a little!" 

"Well, my Vejiita gave as good as he got!" Bulma sputtered out.   
"Just ask Goten about his punctured lung!" 

"I can't!" wailed ChiChi, "he never talks to me anymore. And if   
he does, it's always about Bura this, and B-chan that." She sniffled   
loudly. "Your brat stole my baby!" 

"She did not! Bura didn't 'steal' Goten at all. Do you think I   
want him over at the house all the time, eating my food, and stealing   
by Bura away from me and her father?" She poured herself another   
shot and slammed it down quickly. "Your spawn has my baby's heart!" 

"Spawn?" 

"Spawn!" 

Videl and Juuhachi just glanced at each other and shrugged,   
Juuhachi grabbing the wildly swinging bottle from the excited Bulma's   
hands. She poured herself and Videl another drink, and clinking   
glasses, ignored the yelling females. 

******** 

Out on the dance floor, a slow song started up after Goku's   
requested 'Chicken Dance', and Goten and Bura were wrapped up in   
each other's arms and tails, swaying very slowly to the melody. Bura's   
head was tucked in his neck, and she had her eyes half-closed,   
enjoying the closeness and presence of Goten. She sighed and flicked   
out her tongue, caressing the underside of his ear. She smiled when   
she felt the tremor run through him. "I love dancing with you, G-chan.   
You glide so smooth across the floor." She sighed again and tightened   
her hold of his neck. 

He grunted in agreement, his face buried in her sea of lavender   
hair. "It's not hard at all, when you dance with someone that fits as   
perfect as you do, B-chan, in my arms." His lips wandered down to her   
neck, and he nibbled a little on the delicate skin there. 

She let out a moan and craned her neck a little bit, giving him   
better access. "That feels so good..." She pulled back slightly when   
she saw what was going on at the bar. "Oh my god..." 

Goten's eyes were half lidded with desire for the female in his   
arms. "What's wrong, Bura?" He looked in the same direction she was   
and his eyes immediately snapped open. "What in the hell..." 

What drew their attention, and everyone else's was the loudly   
arguing ChiChi and Bulma, who were standing on the bar counter,   
unknowingly the center of attention. Bura and Goten started to make   
their way over to the bickering females when all of a sudden they just   
stopped their arguing and sat back down on bar, and drank whatever   
was in their glasses. They started to talk quietly to each other. 

The pair just blinked. "What in the world?" Goten wondered. 

The young female just sighed. "I think our Moms are getting   
piss drunk, that's what I think." She looked around the room, and   
spotted her father in a corner, Goku sitting next to him. Both were   
shoveling in food like it would disappear within the next few minutes.   
"I'll be right back." She caught his lips in a long kiss. "Let me go run   
interference." 

He watched as she made her way over to their parents and   
knelt in front of them. Watching the eyes of the two males as they   
followed the finger of Bura, as she pointed in the direction of their   
mothers. Goku's eyes widened but he nodded and stood up, Vejiita   
rolled his eyes, but stood up reluctantly. Bura gave her father a hug   
and a peck on the cheek and she made her way back to him. Wrapping   
her up in his arms once again, he asked, "What did you say to them?" 

"I told them that both Mama and ChiChi were getting piss   
drunk and making a spectacle of themselves, and if they could go   
sober them up some." She shrugged and they both watched as the   
two males fireman-carried their wives out the doors and into the cool   
night. ChiChi was protesting loudly to the attention, but Bulma didn't   
voice a complaint; only making a grab for another unopened bottle on   
the bar. 

Bura let out a sigh and turned back to Goten. "How are we   
related to them again?" 

Goten smirked but shook his head. "Don't ask me--I'm an   
orphan." He led her off the floor and over to the bar. 

She laughed. "Me too! What a coincidence, ne?" Goten smiled   
and spotted Trunks and Uub at the other end of the bar. He let go of   
her and made his way over to them. She turned an apologetic smile to   
the harried bartender. "Sorry about that, Thom," Bura apologized.   
"They can get rather rowdy when drunk." 

"That's okay," Thom winked at the beautiful female. The   
beautiful, _alone_, girl with dazzling blue eyes. "They're good kids."   
He leaned close to her. "So what'll ya have, gorgeous?" _I think I'm in_   
_love!_

She mentally groaned. _Oi!_ "I'll take a berry cooler, thanks."   
He opened the bottle for her and placed it on the counter. "So, when   
does the band start taking requests?" She pointed to the flyer on the   
bar, which stated that they do a fixed set first, then they take what   
the audience wants, as long as they know what it is and how to play it. 

"Well, I don't think 'The Chicken Dance' is in their repertoire,"   
they grinned at each other, "so they're taking requests now." He   
glanced at his watch. "Say, I get a break in about fifteen minutes. If   
I request a song, will you dance with me?" 

Bura blinked a few times. "Um, sure, I guess." She glanced   
over at Goten, who had his back to her, talking with Trunks, Uub and   
Marron, who she didn't see there before. She caught her brother's   
eye and gave him a look. She quickly turned back to Thom. "What   
song would you request, so I know which one it is?" 

He smirked, staring at her cleavage in the little purple tank she   
wore before meeting her blue eyes again. "How about, 'Let's Get it   
On?'" 

"Or what about 'I Breaka Your Face?'" Thom glanced up to the   
pair of aquamarine eyes that seemed to be screaming, "Pain!!" 

He smirked and shrugged. "Easy, buddy, let's let the girl here   
decide on what song?" He turned back to Bura and leered at her   
chest again. "So what will it be, gorgeous?" 

Bura smirked and shook her head and spotted someone out of   
the corner of her eye. "I don't like either one--how about, 'Papa's   
Girl?'" 

Goten and Thom blinked at each other. "I don't know that one."   
Thom said slowly, and saw that the guy that was behind the girl now   
sat next to her and was ignoring him, and somehow he had a bottle of   
beer in his hand. Weren't his eyes green before? Now they're black... 

She grinned at Goten and pulled a familiar man over to her, who   
was just walking past. "Hi Papa! I want to introduce you to someone.   
Papa, this is Thom, the lecherous bartender. Thom, the lecherous   
bartender, meet my father, Vejiita." She leaned her head on the   
older male's shoulder and smiled beatifically. 

Vejiita stared at Thom, a murderous look in his obsidian eyes.   
"Greetings...Thom." 

Thom, the hapless, unlucky, lecherous bartender swallowed   
hard. "Greetings...sir." He flashed a look to Bura, now realizing who   
she was. "You must be the birthday girl, then. Congratulations." He   
smiled sickly at her and backed up from the counter. "It's my break   
now, so I think I'm going to go break down...I mean go on break..." He   
bolted from out behind the bar, leaving only a trail of smoke in his   
wake. 

"What about our song, Thom?" Bura called out after him. "And   
I so wanted to dance with him..." she sighed. 

Goten spit out the mouthful of beer. "What? You did?" 

"No, silly!" She rolled her eyes and gave her father a big hug.   
"Thank you for scaring off the bad boy, Papa. I would have had Goten   
do it, but he's just not scary enough." Goten spit out another   
mouthful of beer. 

"Che." Vejiita snorted and pulled his arm out of Bura's hold.   
"Your mother escaped me. Do you see her anywhere?" 

"Ummm..." she glanced around and covered her mouth when she   
found her. "Yeah, Papa, but I don't think you want to get her now."   
She pointed up at the stage where both Bulma and ChiChi stood,   
holding microphones. "I think she's gonna sing...with ChiChi...?" She   
glanced at Goten and saw his face buried in his arms. Muffled moans   
reached Bura's ears. "G-chan?" 

"Don't tell me my mother is on that stage...please don't tell me   
she's on that stage, drunk, and going to sing..." The music struck up   
and Goten wailed louder. "She's gonna sing, oh god, she's gonna sing...." 

A violin struck up a solo, and the drums started to thump out a   
beat behind it. Everyone turned to the stage when the lead singer   
announced that they had a request for a song--and the requesters   
were going to sing it. 

Bulma and ChiChi had wide grins on their faces and when they   
were given the cue, they began to sing, ChiChi taking the first verse: 

Any man of mine better be proud of me   
Even when I'm ugly he still better love me   
And I can be late for a date that's fine   
But he better be on time 

The crowd started hollering as ChiChi swayed her hips with the   
music, and really getting into it. Bulma winked at the crowd and slowly   
ran a hand down her side as she began to sing the next verse: 

Any man of mine'll say it fits just right   
When last year's dress is just a little too tight   
And anything I do or say better be okay   
When I have a bad hair day 

Vejiita let out a growl at the whoops and catcalls Bulma   
received and started to storm the stage, but Bura pulled him back.   
"Stay, Papa. She's having fun, can't you tell?" 

"Fun at my expense!" He snorted, crossing his arms. 

"Oh, Papa, swallow your pride and let Mama have some fun."   
She giggled at the look she got in return. She turned to Goten, who   
had his mouth gaped open at the two females on the stage. "Now I   
know where you got your voice from, G-chan! Your mama's really   
good!" 

Goten blinked and smirked. "You thought it was my Dad? But   
it's obvious where you got yours from. I didn't know you could sing,   
Vejiita! I've never heard you before." 

Vejiita snorted and crossed his arms, staring at his mate on   
the stage. "And you never will, brat." 

The two females leaned close to each other to sing the bridge: 

And if I change my mind   
A million times   
I wanna hear him say   
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah), yeah I like that way 

The crowd started to go crazy as they separated to work the   
masses, dancing and wiggling to the music: 

Any man of mine better walk the line   
Better show me a teasin' squeezin' pleasin' kinda time   
I need a man who knows, how the story goes   
He's gotta be a heartbeatin' fine treatin'   
Breathtakin' earthquakin' kind   
Any man of mine (woo!) 

Bura let out a bolt of laughter, wiping away the tears and she   
enjoyed the display her mother and future mother in law were putting   
on for everyone. "They are going to so regret this in the morning,   
that is if they remember it!" She laughed even louder when her   
mother scrunched up her face at a man trying to clamor up on the   
raised stage, only to be pulled down by the duet's bodyguards of   
Trunks and Gohan. "Trunks and Gohan are Security Roadies!" 

Bulma started up the next verse, and spotting Vejiita in the   
crowd, blew him a kiss. 

Well any man of mine better disagree   
When I say another woman's lookin' better than me   
And when I cook him dinner and I burn it black   
He better say, mmmm, I like it like that 

Bura pulled Goten off his stool and onto the floor. "My   
favorite part of the song is coming up, Goten! Let's join in!" 

Vejiita just let out a groan and shook his head. "That's it.   
She's gone completely insane. That onna can not hold her liquor." 

And if I change my mind   
A million times   
I wanna hear him say   
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah), yeah I like it that way 

Any man of mine better walk the line   
Better show me a teasin' squeezin' pleasin' kinda time   
I need a man who knows, how the story goes   
He's gotta be a heartbeatin' fine treatin'   
Breathtakin' earthquakin' kind   
Any man of mine 

The new Country Duo of the Year leaned down into the crowd   
as they sung the pickup line and key change: 

Let me hear you say yeah, (yeah), yeah (yeah), yeah   
I like it that way 

Any man (any man) any man(any man)   
Any man of mine better walk the line   
Better show me a teasin' squeezin' pleasin' kinda time   
I need a man who knows, how the story goes   
He's gotta be a heartbeatin' fine treatin'   
Breathtakin' earthquakin' kind   
Any man of mine 

Bura let out a whoop as she started to line dance 

You gotta shimmy shake   
Make the earth quake   
Kick, turn, stomp, stomp, then you jump   
Heel to toe, Do Si Do   
'Til your boots wanna break   
'Til your feet and your back ache   
Keep it movin' 'till you just can't take anymore   
Come on everybody on the floor   
A-one two, a-three four 

Whoops and hollers sounded for the pair, as they accepted the   
praise and were 'escorted' off the stage by red-faced Gohan and   
Trunks. Quickly they were swooped off the floor and out of sight by   
two other males--Goku and Vejiita. 

Bura sat back down at the bar, her eyes bright with laughter.   
"That was a lot of fun! Even though it was really embarrassing for   
everyone that knew them, it was really fun!" She smiled at the   
blushing Goten, who sat next to her and buried his face in her   
shoulder. 

"That was so embarrassing," he mumbled into her shoulder. 

"Aw, poor baby," she cooed at him. "I think it took guts for   
them to go up there and face all these people, making a complete fool   
out of themselves." 

"Fools, that's for sure." He sighed and looked up at her. "I'll   
never do it, that's for sure." 

"Never?" A glint entered her eye. 

He recognized that glint and knew to fear it with his life.   
Goten began to pale dramatically. "No! You are not getting me up on   
that stage, Briefs Bura Vejiita. No way, no how! Uh uh!" He shook his   
head viciously and started to back away, glancing to the sides for an   
escape route. 

"Yes you are, Son Goten!" She stood up and backed the hapless   
male up against the bar, placing her hands around him to block all   
escape routes. "You are going to go up there and sing a song for me!" 

"But--but I don't know any songs, Bura!" he sweatdropped. 

"Sure, you do, G-chan, you know lots of songs." She spoke   
sweetly, although a dangerous glint gleamed in her eye. Goten gulped.   
"You just need to go ask the band what they know. They more than   
likely have a list of songs to pick from." She backed up and allowed   
him to move. "Why don't you go ask them now?" 

"But what if I can't find a song I know?" He glanced around   
and caught Trunks' eye, who shook his head and smirked at him. 

"You'll figure something out." She gave him a friendly shove,   
which sent him halfway across the room. "Pick out a good one!" She   
called out. 

Goten stumbled to his feet and glanced back at Bura, who   
smiled and waved at him. He held up a shaky hand and attempted to   
smile. It just turned into a grimace. He turned back around and as he   
started to walk slowly up to the stage, Trunks joined him. "So, did she   
fall for it?" He handed him a few sheets of paper and a small box. 

Goten grinned wildly at his friend, his mood doing a complete   
flip. "Hook, line, and sinker. She thinks I'm scared out of my mind. I   
should be an actor!" He slid the small box into his pocket. 

Trunks shook his head and pat him on the back. "I talked to   
the band, and all you need to do is introduce yourself, and hand them   
the music. They'll play a few songs, and then call you up on stage when   
it's your turn. They know the song, just don't have the music for it." 

He looked down at the papers in his hands and nodded. "It's a   
good thing we found the sheet music right before we got here, ne? I   
thought for sure your father was going to go ahead of us and ruin   
everything." 

"Me too. Although I don't think Dad was in a big hurry to   
party. He just wanted to get here and eat and then go home." 

The pair reached the stage and Trunks gave his friend an   
encouraging smile and left him alone. Goten introduced himself to one   
of the roadies and he was handed a book of music to select a song. He   
glanced up to see Bura watching him from the bar. He gave her a   
small wave and buried his nose in the book, making it look like he was   
actually selecting a song. 

What he was doing was putting the music sheets that Trunks   
handed to him in the book so that the band could have them. The   
mimed pointing out a song, and handed the book back to the roadie.   
He nodded and shook Goten's hand. 

A depressed-looking Goten slowly made his way back to Bura,   
who looked really excited. "Did you pick out a song? Did you? When   
do you sing? What is it? Do I know it?" 

"Yeah," he sighed, looking rather forlorn, "I picked out a song.   
The band will call me up there when it's my turn. I think you know it,   
but I'm not sure." She knew it, all right. When it came out on the   
charts, it was the only thing she would sing, and it was always around   
him. It annoyed him all to hell. But then she was only twelve or so. 

He sat down on a stool, and asked the bartender, who was not   
Thom, for a drink. A hard, stiff drink. He might have planned this   
out ahead of time, but it was still scary, and he'd need all the courage   
he could get. 

After a few songs, Bura started to get impatient. "When are   
you going to sing, Goten? It's almost midnight, and the crowd is   
starting to thin out." To Goten, the crowd seemed to be getting   
larger, and more rowdy, but that could have been his nerves as well. 

"The less people, the better, B-chan. But let's forget about   
that for now. They'll call me up there when it's my turn. How about   
we dance for a while, ne? We haven't danced for an hour or so." He   
pulled a reluctant Bura out on the floor. 

The pair danced to slow and fast songs, Bura getting into it   
once more after a bit, and she seemed to forget about his request.   
They were holding each other close, during a slow song, when it ended   
and the lead singer stepped up to the microphone. "Well, we're almost   
done for the night." The crowd showed their disappointment. "We've   
had a lot of fun tonight, so thanks for all of your encouragement!"   
The crowd cheered. "We're going to take a quick fifteen-minute   
break, and then the last song of the night is a request song made by   
Son Goten." 

Bura's eyes got wide. "Ooh! You get to sing next! What song is   
it? You never told me what it was." 

He shook his head. "You'll find out in fifteen minutes. I'm   
going to go to the bathroom so I don't piss my pants while I'm up   
there. I'll go up to the stage after that." He leaned down and gave   
her a deep kiss. "Make sure you're close to the front, okay?" 

She blinked and nodded slowly, a big smile spreading across her   
face. "You bet, I will. I wouldn't miss this for the world." 

******** 

The fifteen minutes went by way too fast for the young   
Saiya-jiin and when the band reassembled on the stage, he sat in the   
dark wings, waiting for his name to be called. 

"Now, let's hear it for Son Goten." Whoops and hollers greeted   
his arrival on the stage. A spotlight hit him, and he blinked a few   
times at the light. He accepted the microphone handed to him by the   
lead singer and stepped to the front of the stage. 

He blinked a few more times and looked out into the expectant   
crowd. "Hey everyone." He spotted his family members and they   
waved energetically to him, especially his mother and father. He   
blushed a little bit, and then he spotted Bura, a couple rows away from   
the front. He gave her a gentle smile and took a deep breath. "To tell   
you the truth, I was dared by the birthday girl to come up here and   
sing--I didn't want to, but, what are you gonna do, ne?" A few   
chuckles reached his ears and he smiled again. "Well, actually, this   
gave me an opportunity to do something that I've wanted to do for   
awhile, so B-chan, this is for you. By the way, I changed a couple of   
the lyrics, so they'd fit better--you'll see what I mean." He turned   
back to the band and pounded out a beat. A guitar started to play a   
fast country song and he turned back to the audience with a wild grin   
on his face and a sly look in his eye as he began to sing: 

Can't concentrate on the preacher preaching   
My attention span done turned off   
I'm honed in on that angel singing   
Up there in the choir loft 

Bura opened her mouth in a gasp and squealed, jumping up and   
down as she recognized the song. Goten heard it and his smile got   
wider and he moved about the stage dancing with the music: 

She's got her daddy's _temper_, her mama's good looks   
More laughs than a stack of comic books   
A wild imagination; A college education   
Add it all up it's a deadly combination   
She's a good bass fisher   
A dynamite kisser   
_ Deadly in aquamarine_   
She's got her daddy's _temper_, her mama's good looks   
And look who's lookin' at me 

Bura moved closer to the stage, her face aglow with laughter. "You   
goof! I know this song! Why didn't you say anything?" He just winked   
at her and started into the next verse: 

Her second cousin was my third grade teacher   
I used to cut her grandma's grass   
Back then she was nothin' but knees and elbows   
Golly did she grow up fast! 

She's got her daddy's _temper_, her mama's good looks   
More laughs than a stack of comic books   
A wild imagination; A college education   
Add it all up it's a deadly combination   
She's a good bass fisher   
A dynamite kisser   
_Deadly in aquamarine_   
She's got her daddy's _temper_, her mama's good looks   
And look who's lookin' at me 

Bulma and Vejiita, who were watching the young Saiya-jiin's   
display from next to the bar, shook their heads at the song. "Bura   
used to drive us crazy with that song!" Bulma sighed, remembering.   
"But he's sure got the lyrics right!" 

Vejiita just snorted and turned his head away from his mate   
and wife. "Che. The brat will pay for the insult, later." Bulma   
elbowed him and he just snorted again. 

_Dende_ if you got any miracles handy   
Maybe you could grant me one   
Just let me walk down the aisle and say I do   
To that angel with a choir robe on 

ChiChi sucked in a breath and turned to Goku, who was bobbing   
his head along with the music. "Is he? Is he going to do it? Oh my,   
where's Bulma?" Goku pointed over to the bar, and found himself   
being dragged over to where Bulma and Vejiita were standing. "Bulma!   
Bulma!" 

Bulma glanced over at the wide-eyed ChiChi. "What? What's   
wrong?" 

"Did you hear what he said?" She pointed to the stage, where   
Goten was singing. 

She's got her daddy's _temper_, her mama's good looks   
More laughs than a stack of comic books   
A wild imagination; a college education   
Add it all up it's a deadly combination   
She's a good bass fisher   
A dynamite kisser   
_Deadly in aquamarine_   
She's got her daddy's _temper_, her mama's good looks   
And look who's lookin' at me 

Goten locked eyes with Bura as he sang the last line: 

She's got her daddy's _temper_, her mama's good looks   
And she's lookin' at me 

The crowd went nuts when Goten finished. The modest   
Saiya-jiin took his praise with a smile, and stepped to the front of the   
stage. "Now, if I could get the birthday girl up here..." He eyed Bura   
as she jumped in the air, somersaulting to land in Goten's arms. He   
smirked and set her down, whispering in her ear, "Showoff." 

She smirked, and wrapped her arms around his neck, and giving   
him a long, deep kiss, much to the delight of the crowd. After a   
minute, they broke apart, both with big, silly grin on their faces.   
Goten stepped back and spoke into the microphone again. "Well, how's   
that for a song, B-chan?" The crowd whooped and hollered for her   
response. She just smiled and nodded. 

He waved a hand to the crowd and they settled. "Well, the   
thing I wanted to do was give you your birthday present, and this is a   
good enough place as any, I guess." He reached into his pocket and   
pulled out the box that Trunks handed him earlier for safe-keeping.   
Bura saw the box and her hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide in   
complete surprise. "Bura, I have loved you for a long time, long before   
you drove me crazy singing that song, and now I have the bruises and   
the seal that prove it." He got down on one knee and set the   
microphone down, but it still picked up his words. He placed one fist   
on his chest and blinked up at the startled female. "Briefs Bura   
Vejiita no Oujo, I, Son Goten, by right of battle, request you to do me   
the honor of becoming my Bonded Mate." He flicked open the box,   
and held it out for her. "Will you marry me?" 

The entire room was silent as they awaited her response.   
Everyone watched as Bura took a small step forward, and knelt down   
next to him. She pulled his fisted hand to her chest, wrapping it in   
her trembling hands. "Son Goten," her voice wobbled slightly, and she   
paused a moment to regain her strength. She smiled softly and   
started again. "That song means more to me than you will ever know,   
for I would always imagine it was you singing it to me. I had hoped you   
would get the idea after the millionth time I sang it to you." He   
grinned and shrugged. "I, Briefs Bura Vejiita, Saiya-jiin no Oujo,   
grant you your request for Mating Rights." She wrapped him up in her   
arms. "Yes, yes, yes!!" 

The crowd literally erupted in cheers. The pair clutched at   
each other and their lips met in sweet rapture--a sealing kiss long   
coming, and well deserved. They pulled apart, and Goten took the ring   
out of the box. He held her left hand in his and slipped the ring over   
her finger, kissing the knuckle. "I love you, Bura, with all of my heart,   
soul, mind and body." 

She pressed her lips to his forehead. "And I you, Goten. With   
every fiber of my being. For forever and beyond." The pair kissed   
again, pouring all of their love into the simple gesture. When they   
parted, they saw themselves surrounded by their families. 

Goten grinned up at them all and rubbed the back of his head in   
embarrassment. "Um, surprise?" 

"MY BABY'S GETTING MARRIED!!!" ChiChi wailed and threw   
herself onto Goten, toppling him over in surprise. "Why are you   
leaving your poor mother?" 

Bulma pounced on her daughter. "It's about time, B-chan!   
Congratulations!" Her eyes welled up in tears. "She's so grown up!" 

Bura smiled and hugged her mother. "It's okay, Mama. I'm still   
your little girl." The pair stood up and she extracted herself from   
her mother's clutches. She moved over to her father, and threw   
herself into his arms. "I love you, Papa." Her voice choked up with   
tears. "Thank you so much." 

Vejiita grunted and wrapped his arms around his crying   
daughter. "Hush, Oujoko. Such weak displays are not proper for the   
Saiya-jiin no Oujo." He pulled away and gave his daughter a real smile.   
"You're welcome." He paused and placed a kiss on her forehead,   
closing his eyes. "My only wish is for you to be happy." 

"I am, Papa." She blinked away tears and nodded. "I am." He   
nodded and released her, immediately leaving the stage. 

Trunks came up to her and wrapped her in a warm hug.   
"Congrats, brat." He flicked her nose and shook a finger. "You   
realize, now, that you're leaving me alone with Mom and Dad? She is   
going to be riding me to get mated. And Papa," he rolled his eyes in   
exasperation, Bura burst out in laughter, "what's he going to do   
without his Oujoko around?" 

"You'll survive, oniichan," she grinned and pecked his cheek at   
her juvenile term for him. "And I know that you'll practically be living   
with us, anyway. You and Goten are practically mated yourselves." 

Everyone else handed out their well-wishes, congratulations,   
hugs, and kisses. Soon, it was only the two main families left standing   
outside in the warm summer night. Bura and Goten were standing side   
by side, hand in hand, tail in tail. Bulma sighed and gave each of them   
another big hug. "Congratulations you two! I'm so happy everything   
worked out for the best." 

Bura rolled her eyes. "We're not married yet, Mama. We'll still   
be at the breakfast table tomorrow. And the day after that." Goten   
just smirked and kept his mouth shut. 

"I know, I know," the elder female sighed. She glanced around   
for ChiChi, and found her trying to pull Goku away from the last of the   
buffet inside. "ChiChi, just let him eat it," she called out tiredly. "It'll   
be all tossed, anyway." 

All the males, Vejiita, Goku, Trunks, and Goten, jerked their   
heads up in alarm. "It will?" They made a beeline to the table, and   
quickly the rest of the food disappeared. 

Bulma smirked at her daughter, who looked rather disappointed   
that she didn't get her share. "That's okay, B-chan, I sent the   
caterers to CC to deliver the real leftovers. I won't have to cook for   
a few days, at least." She watched as Bura's face lit up when Goten   
brought over a plate filled with food. She laughed as the young   
female devoured the plate within seconds. "Are you sure you two   
haven't Bonded yet?" 

She shook her head. "Papa would have killed us if we did." She   
swiped a napkin over Goten's face. "But it was tempting sometimes,   
Mama." 

She nodded. "I understand. We'll have to start planning the   
Ceremony soon, then, so you two can complete your Bond. You more   
than likely have formed a partial one." 

Vejiita came up next to her, holding a small plate with some   
crackers, cheese and meat. Bulma widened her eyes and snatched it   
from his hands. "That was mine, Onna." 

"But now it's mine." She handed him back the empty plate. "Or   
it was. You can have the plate." She grinned and pecked him on the   
cheek. "Thank you?" 

He grunted and tossed the empty paper plate on the ground.   
Bulma sighed and picked it up, throwing it in the garbage where it   
belonged. "I am more than ready to depart, Onna." 

She suppressed a yawn and nodded in agreement. "Me too."   
She turned to the newly-engaged pair. "Are you coming with us?" 

They glanced at each other, and Bura shook her head. "Not   
right away, Mama. See you in the morning?" 

Bulma blinked and grinned. "All right. Don't do anything I   
wouldn't do. Or maybe I should say would do?" Vejiita grunted next   
to her and she rolled her eyes. "All right, Otoko, I'm coming." She   
gave the pair another hug. "See you in the morning, B-chan, G-chan."   
She grinned again. "Welcome to the family!" She waved and Vejiita   
grunted at the pair, giving Bura a soft look, and Goten a hard stare.   
He turned around and wrapped his tail around his mate, pulling her   
close to him. As he passed his first-born, he latched onto his tail and   
dragged the protesting Trunks along, and launched into the air. 

ChiChi and Goku said their good-byes as well, ChiChi looking like   
she was going to burst into tears again. Goku gave his son a big hug.   
"I remember the first time I gave you one of these, son. You have   
grown so much. I'm proud of you." Goten blushed but nodded his   
thanks. Goku turned to Bura and wrapped her up in his embrace as   
well. "Welcome to the family, Bura-chan. I've always wanted a   
daughter." 

Bura nodded. "Thank you, Goku-papa." The tall man blinked and   
smiled. "But what about Videl?" 

"Ah, well," he winked. "She's ChiChi's daughter." He leaned   
down. "And you're mine." He tweaked her nose and stood back up.   
"Let's go home, ChiChi." The pair waved and Goku scooped his mate   
into his embrace, launching into the air and quickly becoming a dot on   
the horizon. 

Bura sighed and leaned into Goten's chest, wrapping her arms   
around his muscular frame. "Have I ever told you that I love you?" 

Goten chuckled. "Are you going to sing me a song now?   
Because you need to choose a different one. That one sucks rocks."   
He smiled at the face she made, leaning down to capture her lips in a   
soul-searing kiss that lasted quite awhile. When they broke apart, he   
smirked. "I think that could mean 'I love you.' Definitely felt an   
attraction of some kind." 

She rolled her eyes. "You are such a goof. And by the way, I   
thought your lyrics fit better than the original ones." 

"I thought so, too. So, you really imagined me singing that song   
to you?" He grinned as he scooped up his fiancee in his arms. 

"Umm hmm." She stared into his onyx eyes, getting lost in the   
endless blackness. "I've been head over heels for you since I was   
born, Goten." 

He nodded and slowly launched them into the air. "I fell in love   
with you the moment I saw you in the hospital, only a few hours old.   
Never saw a baby before--you were an ugly raisin thing," he ducked   
the swing, "Don't worry, Pan-chan looked the same way. But I knew   
you were meant for me." He stared off into the distance as they flew   
along. "I was only ten, but I knew deep in my heart." 

She settled deep in his embrace, staring into his handsome face--so much   
like his father's, but completely different, like her. She and her mother could be   
taken for twins, but to those that knew them, they were as different as day and   
night. But that was okay, since each had different paths that needed to be taken,   
and different choice needed to be made. But these two would face them together;   
hand in hand, heart in heart, tail in tail.   
***********   
__

_And that's it! What did you think? The italicized words in Goten's song were the altered lyrics, but I didn't change much--since I didn't think Bura was 'country as a turnip green' and it's Bulma's money, not Vejiita's, ne?_

_Please, let me know what you thought of the story--I worked really hard on it, and I think it's really good! And that's all that really counts, ne? But still...oh well. I don't know what my next project will be...maybe get back to work on Yosei or ATTR-- haven't decided yet. Or maybe something else will pop up--I never know where my inspiration will lead._

_Take care, and ja matte ne!_

_Angie_   
_Gie-chan_   
  



End file.
